The Washington Nationals activated veteran reliever Derek Law from the 15-day injured list on Monday morning, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASN. Law had been on the IL since the middle of August due to ulnar nerve irritation in his right elbow. He is set to return to the mound for the upcoming series against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday and Wednesday. The news comes after reliever Orlando Ribalta was optioned to Triple-A due to an abysmal performance against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
Derek Law has been activated off the 15-day IL.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) September 2, 2024
Nationals Activate Derek Law From 15-Day Injured List
Law, 33, signed a minor league contract with the Nationals in February. The team selected his contract the next month after he made the Opening Day roster. When healthy, the veteran has looked pretty reliable on the mound. Posting an impressive 2.85 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP, striking out 61 batters. He even recorded a save back on July 4 against the New York Mets to give Washington the win. Showcasing his effectiveness in a critical situation. In terms of his pitching style, Law has relied primarily on his cutter (92 mph) and slider (87 mph). Plus, his 4-seam fastball (95 mph) and sinker (95 mph).
Law has been in the major leagues since 2016 and has played for six different teams, including the Nationals. The veteran reliever made his MLB debut in April 2016 with the San Francisco Giants, where he played until 2018. He followed that up with stints for the Toronto Blue Jays (2019), Minnesota Twins (2021), Detroit Tigers (2022), and Cincinnati Reds (2022-2023). Back in 2020, Law signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers but did not play a single game due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Born in Pittsburgh, Law was selected out of Miami Dade College by the Giants in the ninth round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He then had extensive experience within San Francisco’s farm system before being called up by the ballclub in April 2016.
Main Photo Credits: James A. Pittman-USA TODAY Sports
