Nationals Struggling Reliever Released Outright After Clearing Waivers

A now former Washington Nationals notable reliever is officially a free agent after clearing waivers.

According to an announcement from the team, right-hander Jorge Lopez has cleared unconditional release waivers and is now a free agent.

Originally arriving to Washington on a fairly significant financial commitment with a one-year deal worth $3 million, having to part with him not even halfway through the year is obviously not an optimal outcome.

After designating him for assignment over the weekend, Lopez hitting the market was expected as his contract erased the possibility of anyone claiming him, and he would have had the option to reject an outright assignment.

Lopez was not having a good season for the Nationals, posting an ERA of 6.57 over 26 appearances. His WHIP however was a respectable mark of 1.297 and it is more likely than not he will find another big league opportunity.

The contract with Washington was rewarded after Lopez bounced back from an ugly incident that led to his release from the New York Mets with 24 very strong appearances down the stretch for the Chicago Cubs.

In that time, Lopez had an ERA of 2.03 with 31 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched.

Ejected from a game for the Nationals and subsequently suspended back in April after throwing a ball behind the head of an opponent which led to a brawl, Lopez had a memorable but poor tenure in Washington.

Fans in the nation's capital will be sure to follow along with where he ends up and whether or not he can turn things around.