The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Greg Holland and optioned right-handed pitcher Jimmy Cordero to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Jefry Rodriguez was added as the 26th man for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.
Holland, 32, is 21-20 with 186 saves and a 2.93 ERA across parts of eight seasons with the Kansas City Royals (2010-15), Colorado Rockies (2017) and St. Louis Cardinals (2018). He has fanned 11.7 batters per 9.0 innings, posted a 3.02 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 1.197 WHIP during his Major League career. Since 2010, he ranks eighth in Major League Baseball with an 89.0 save percentage (186-for-209). Holland joins the Nationals after going 0-2 with a 7.92 ERA in 32 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018.
A three-time All-Star and veteran of 12 Postseason appearances, Holland returned to the mound in 2017 for the Colorado Rockies after missing the 2016 season due to injuries. He went on to save 47 games in 2017, tied for the most in the National League, while striking out 70 batters in 57.1 innings across 61 games. For his efforts in 2017, Holland was named the National League Comeback Player of the Year by Major League Baseball.
From 2010-15, Holland went 18-12 with 145 saves and a 2.42 ERA in 309 games for the Kansas City Royals. On two separate occasions - 2013 and 2014 - he finished ninth in American League Cy Young Award voting. He made 11 appearances during the 2014 Postseason, converting all seven saves and pitching a 0.82 ERA (1 ER/11.0 IP) as the Royals made their run to the 2014 World Series.
Cordero, 26, appeared in two games out of Washington's bullpen during his first career Major League assignment. He made his Major League debut on Aug. 2 versus Cincinnati.
Rodriguez, 25, will make his fourth start of the season in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. He made his Major League debut against these same Atlanta Braves on June 3 at Atlanta. He tossed 4.2 innings of four-hit shutout ball after entering the game in the bottom of the first inning.