After being acquired from the Minnesota Twins last season, Brandon Kintzler looks to stay with his new club. Reports indicate that he has agreed to a two year deal with the Washington Nationals. Financial terms have not yet been released, and the contract is pending a physical.
#Nationals in agreement with free-agent reliever Brandon Kintzler on two-year contract, sources tell The Athletic. Deal is pending a physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 14, 2017
Brandon Kintzler Signs With Washington Nationals
Kintzler’s Career
Drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2004 in the 40th round, Kintzler would never play a game for the Padres. He would play for their Class-A team, but that’s as far as Kintzler would get in the Padres organization. Kintzler took the 2006 season off, then started playing on the independent circuit. He started playing for the Winnipeg Goldeneyes in the Northern League for two years. He then would move on to playing for the St. Paul Saints of the American Association in 2009. In the middle of that season, Kintzler signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he would play for six years. During those years, Kintzler pitched a 3.38 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 181 innings pitched.
In December of 2015, Kintzler signed a minor league contract with the Twins. After being put into the setup role originally, Kinztler became the closer for the Twins and did an incredible job posting 45 saves in two years with the Twins. At the trade deadline of the 2017 season, Kintzler was traded by the Twins to the Washington Nationals. In exchange, the Nationals traded pitcher Tyler Watson to Minnesota along with future considerations. In Kintzler’s career so far, he has a 3.26 ERA with 208 strikeouts and 46 saves. Kintzler was also named an All-Star in 2017 while with the Twins.
The Impact of the Signing
For the Nationals, they get a pitcher that can be used in a relief role, as a setup man, or as a closer. Kintzler has been used in all those roles and can do very well in all roles.
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