Red Sox Free Agent Signs Major League Contract, Heads Back to NL East

Right-handed reliever Lucas Sims signed a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals, bringing him back to the National League East for the first time since 2018.

"It's a division I'm familiar with, coming up with Atlanta," Sims told reporters Wednesday at the Nationals' spring training camp in Florida. "I love the city of Washington, D.C. There's a lot of good opportunity here. And there's some familiar faces. I'm just excited to get to work and play baseball."

Sims, 30, was 1-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 58 appearances last season with the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox, who acquired him in a midseason trade. He became a free agent after the season.

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To clear space on the 40-man roster, the Nationals transferred right-hander Mason Thompson to the 60-day injured list while he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports was first to report the deal on Twitter/X.

Sims is 22-19 with a 4.50 ERA in 245 games (14 starts) with the Atlanta Braves, Reds, and Red Sox in a major league career that began in 2017.

Sims went 3-6 with a 5.62 ERA for Atlanta in his rookie season, making 14 appearances (10 starts) after getting called up in Aug. 2017.

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In 2018, Sims was optioned to and recalled from Triple-A five separate times. Atlanta eventually gave up on him, trading him to Cincinnati at the deadline along with Matt Wisler and Preston Tucker in the deal that sent Adam Duvall to Atlanta.

Sims would find a home in the Reds' bullpen over the next six years. In two appearances in the Reds' 2020 Wild Card appearance, Sims did not allow a run. He made a career-high 67 appearances in 2023, going 7-3 with a 3.10 ERA and striking out 72 batters in 61 innings. He also struggled with control, hitting 10 batters and walking 39 more.

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But Sims was one of the toughest pitchers in baseball to hit in 2023, allowing only 33 hits, including five home runs. Although his counting stats faded in 2024, Sims was still masterful at limiting weak contact with his sweeper-heavy repertoire.

The Reds were fading from postseason contention when they traded Sims to Boston for prospect Ovis Portes on July 31, 2024. Sims spent nearly three weeks on the injured list with a right lat strain, limiting him to 15 appearances with the Red Sox after the trade.

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Now, Sims will look to complement a Nationals team that is not expected to contend in 2025 — their owner and general manager effectively said so — but could pitch well enough to be traded to a contender again at the deadline when relievers are in high demand.

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