WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Kyle Finnegan didn’t have to arrive at the Nationals' complex as early on Friday because of a night game on the schedule against the Mets. He still woke up at his usual time in the morning, though, with a lot on his mind for the day ahead.
“[I] was just staring at the clock like, ‘When can I go in the field?’” Finnegan said. “Being around for a while now, that's a good thing to still be super excited to throw in a backfield Spring Training game.”
Finnegan faced hitters for the first time this spring on Friday afternoon. The 33-year-old closer had been non-tendered by the Nationals in November, and he did not re-sign on a one-year, $6 million deal until Feb. 27.
Finnegan is entering his sixth Major League season. Last year, he ranked third among all relievers with 38 saves, posted a 3.68 ERA and earned his first All-Star nod.
“He said, ‘I’ve been waiting for this for a month now,’” manager Dave Martinez said. “It just goes to show you the competitive nature of a player, itching to get back out and facing guys and getting back in that mix. But it’s really good. As I’ve said before, he's that guy. Since I've known him, he always would take the ball no matter what we asked him to do, and he’s been really effective.”
Finnegan delivered 22 pitches on Friday. He reached the mid-90s on his fastball, threw his splitter and worked in a slider he is developing. The goal for the slider, which Finnegan threw for only 5.6 percent of his arsenal last season, is to give hitters another pitch to consider when facing him.
“If he’s going to do it, we want him to feel comfortable doing it and be effective,” Martinez said. “Especially if he can get the shape of it to go down and in on lefties and away from the righties, it gives him another weapon.”
Finnegan’s offseason work included throwing bullpens to dummy batters to simulate live hitters. On Friday, he was able to get the entire game routine of warming up in the bullpen and then on the mound before facing batters.
“No matter what you do in the offseason, nothing can prepare you for that first week of Spring Training, just how your body responds to it,” Finnegan said. “Today was a big step forward.”
Finnegan is on track to be ready for Opening Day. The Nationals will determine his throwing progression based on how he feels on Saturday. He could face hitters again in a live-BP setting or advance to appearing in a game.
“I wouldn’t say you’re 100 percent in ‘let’s get all these guys out’ mode. You’re more thinking about yourself and how your body’s moving and if the pitches are doing what you want them to do,” Finnegan said. “From that perspective, I felt really good.
“I got a bunch of ground balls and a couple strikeouts, so the results were there with it, which is good feedback. And I’ve been working with [pitching coach Jim] Hickey and [pitching strategist Sean] Doolittle to fine-tune some of the data. It all checked out today. It was a really good day, everyone was happy with it. So, onto the next.”
Facing his teammates mid-afternoon in the backfield of the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches is far from the ninth-inning light show at Nationals Park. But for Finnegan, it was just as significant.
“We love to compete,” Finnegan said. “It’s me versus the hitter. It’s what we all love to do. I always feel lucky that I'm able to do what I love for work. So just try and keep that in your mind and stay grounded.”