Nationals Acquire Richard Lovelady After Being DFA’d For Craig Kimbrel

The Washington Nationals have acquired reliever Richard Lovelady from the New York Mets.

Lovelady was designated for assignment by the Mets on April 11. After being DFA’d, a player stays on waivers for up to seven days, where they can be acquired by any team.

In 2026, Lovelady made six appearances and had an ERA of 3.68. The Mets DFA’d him to make room for Craig Kimbrel on the 40-man roster. Kimbrel is a 38-year-old veteran who’s recorded 440 saves in his career.

Lovelady started his career with the Kansas City Royals in 2019. He had a 7.65 ERA in 25 games during his rookie season.

On April 13, 2023, Lovelady was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. Lovelady had a 4.63 ERA with the Athletics. 

In 2024, Lovelady was acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays. He had a 3.77 ERA in 28 games with the Rays. There was optimism that Lovelady had figured things out.

However, he had an 8.49 ERA in 2025 with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets. Although he looked better in 2026, the Mets still didn’t see him as a long-term option in the bullpen.

Lovelady is a pitch-to-contact pitcher. He uses his sweeper and sinker to force ground balls. This means Lovelady is reliant on his defense to get outs.

The Mets are considered an above-average defensive team. The trade for Marcus Semien in the offseason has improved their defense in the infield.

Meanwhile, the Nationals are ranked second-worst defensively, behind the Tampa Bay Rays. C.J. Abrams, Brady House and Luis Garcia Jr. all have negative Outs Above Average. This could make outs difficult to come by for Lovelady.  

Lovelady is likely to make his Nationals debut during the weekend series against the San Francisco Giants.