The Washington Nationals have added a potential bullpen arm for the 2026 season after signing a veteran pitcher to a minor league contract.
The Washington Nationals made a move in free agency on Saturday that could bolster the bullpen in 2026, while marking a homecoming for the veteran.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Saturday that free agent right handed pitcher Trevor Gott is in agreement with the Washington Nationals on a minor league contract. Talk Nats reported on X that Gott also has a non-roster invite to Spring Training big league camp.
Gott spent three seasons with the Nationals from 2016 to 2018, marking his second stint with the team. Gott was acquired by the Nationals back in December 2015 in a trade that also sent minor league Michael Brady to DC in exchange for third baseman Yunel Escobar headed to the Los Angeles Angles.
Gott rejoins the organization with a chance to bolster the rotation with pitching, both starting and in the bullpen, a question mark ahead of spring training.
After being named the second-best draft prospect, Gott went to the San Diego Padres in the sixth round of the 2013 MLB Draft before being traded to the Angels in 2014 then spending time in Double-A. He made his major league debut in June 2015 and materialized into a key part of the bullpen through the second half of the season.
His first stint in DC began in December 2015 where he posted a combined 1-2 record over three seasons and 33 appearances where he bounced between the active roster and both Double and Triple-A in both 2016 and 2017. Gott opened the 2018 season on the active roster before being moved back down less than two months in, then spending the bulk of the rest of the season in the minors while being called up in relief of the Nationals' injuries through the season.
Gott was traded to the San Francisco Giants for cash ahead of the 2019 season where he went on to finish 7-0 with one save, 57 strikeouts and a 4.44 ERA in 50 relief appearances. He then made 45 appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2022 with 44 strikeouts across over 45 innings pitched before splitting the 2023 season between the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets. Across the 2022 and 2023 season, Gott appeared to prove himself as a consistent piece where he delivered a 4.17 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate and 6.9% walk rate over nearly 104 innings pitched.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2024, he signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners in 2025 before being released in June, then spending time in Triple-A with the Tacoma Rainiers where he posted a combined 3-3 record and 7.40 ERA with 19 strikeouts across nearly 21 innings pitched. He was then released in August with his latest stint in Washington marking a chance back into the big leagues.
Gott becomes the second free agent pitcher signed by the Washington Nationals this offseason after inking Foster Griffin following his three year stint in Japan.
The Nationals will host a supplemental training camp beginning next week and ahead of the start of spring training on Feb. 21 against the St. Louis Cardinals.