Sep 7, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Derek Law (58) throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

Watch: Washington Nationals Pitcher Blown Away by Fans Wearing his Jersey

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated May 4, 2025 4:45 PM ET

Derek Law’s is not exactly the jersey you would see young Washington Nationals fans wear at a game.

After all this is a team filled with young superstars, including James Wood, Dylan Crews, C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore. Their jerseys fill up the team shop at Nationals Park, where it’s a crisp home jersey or the new City Connect uniforms.

Law is a 34-year-old journeyman reliever whose best asset is his reliability. He’s played in part or all of nine MLB seasons, starting in 2016. And, while he pitched for the Nationals last season, he hasn’t pitched in a game yet this season.

That’s because Law has been out of the lineup since before the season started with right forearm inflammation. In fact, he still hasn’t been cleared to throw yet.

But, because he’s on the 40-man roster, he’s still around the team. On Sunday, before the Nationals started their game, Law was greeted by three fans looking for his autograph. All three were wearing his jersey.

Spencer Nusbaum of the Washington Post captured the moment from the press box.

Perhaps the moment of the season: Three kids in Derek Law jerseys meeting Derek Law.

I’m not sure who was happier to see who. They started jumping up and down when he walked out. He put his cap over his heart and signed everything they owned. pic.twitter.com/OG27uXsjus
— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) May 4, 2025

Baseball players sign autographs all the time. But players like Law — who has a handful of Major League wins to his credit and generally pitches in unglamorous situations — don’t always get the jersey treatment from fans. But, clearly, these three kids were fans of the Nationals and Law.

Before the injury, Law had the best season of his career with the Nationals last season. He went 7-4 with a 2.60 ERA in 75 games, all in relief. He struck out 76 and walked 24 in 90 innings.

For his career he is 23-18 with a 3.69 ERA in 322 games, all but seven of which are in relief. In 346 innings he has 316 strikeouts and 137 walks. Batters have hit .254 against him lifetime.

He was a ninth-round pick of the San Francisco Giants in the 2011 MLB draft out of Miami Dade Community College. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native made his MLB debut with the Giants. He played with four other Major League teams before he joined the Nationals last season.

This article first appeared on Washington Nationals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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