The Nationals activated Law (elbow) from the 15-day injured list Monday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Law has been shelved since mid-August with ulnar nerve irritation in his pitching elbow but recently faced hitters with no issues, clearing the way for his return. The veteran reliever will return to a middle-relief role for the Nationals.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: Throwing live BP
Rotowire
Law (elbow) will throw to live hitters Saturday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
The right-hander has been sidelined since Aug. 17 with ulnar nerve irritation in his right elbow. It's unclear if Law will need a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated from the IL.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: MRI comes back clean
Rotowire
The MRI on Law's right elbow revealed only ulnar nerve irritation, but he hasn't been cleared to throw yet, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Law was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a strained right elbow, and Tuesday's MRI confirmed he isn't dealing with any structural damage. The 33-year-old took part in fielding drills Tuesday but hasn't been cleared to throw. A timeline for his return hasn't been announced.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: Lands on IL with elbow strain
Rotowire
The Nationals placed Law on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to a right elbow flexor strain, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Law has not allowed a run over his last six outings, and across 61 appearances this season he has a 2.85 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 75.2 innings. It's unclear how severe the injury is, but he will get an MRI on Monday to determine how long his stint on the IL will be, per Nusbaum. With Robert Garcia going on the bereavement list, the Nationals promoted Joe La Sorsa and Joan Adon in corresponding moves.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: Seeing massive workload
Rotowire
Law leads all big-league relievers with 72.1 innings pitched so far this season, posting a 2.99 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 60:18 K:BB with six wins, 11 holds and a save in 58 appearances.
The veteran right-hander has worked more than an inning in four of his last five appearances as the Nationals' rotation struggles to provide consistent length, putting additional pressure on the bullpen. Per Mark Zuckerman of MASN, Law is on pace to become the first reliever in Nats history to toss more than 100 innings in a season -- Saul Rivera holds the record with 93 innings in 2007. Law has already set new career highs in innings and wins, and he's closing in on his personal bests in holds (14) and strikeouts (67).
Law threw a scoreless ninth inning to get his first save of the season in Thursday's 1-0 win over the Mets.
The Nationals' regular closer, Kyle Finnegan, had thrown in each of their last three games, which explains Law getting the save opportunity Thursday. The 33-year-old has been serviceable this season with a 3.18 ERA in 51 innings but doesn't offer much fantasy upside while primarily working as a middle reliever.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: Tagged with loss Thursday
Rotowire
Law (3-2) took the loss Thursday against the Tigers, coughing up four runs on four hits in 1.1 innings of relief. He struck out one.
The journeyman right-hander wasted a strong effort by Patrick Corbin, giving up a solo shot to Justyn-Henry Malloy in the sixth inning before the wheels came off completely for Law in the seventh. He's handled a versatile role out of the Nationals' bullpen this season, recording six holds and three wins in 33 appearances with a 3.48 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and a 41:13 K:BB through 41.1 innings, but the heavy workload may be catching up to him -- Law's been scored upon in four of his last eight trips to the mound, and he's been taken deep twice over his last three games.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: Records win Sunday
Rotowire
Law (2-1) picked up the win in Sunday's comeback victory over the Marlins, pitching two scoreless innings and allowing two hits. He struck out three without walking a batter.
Patrick Corbin got chased after coughing up seven runs (four earned) in four innings, but Law steadied the ship in the fifth and sixth and watched the Nationals offense come to life, erasing a 7-0 deficit. The 33-year-old right-hander remains in a low-leverage role, but he's pitched reasonable well to begin the season with a 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB through 18 innings.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: Added to roster
Rotowire
The Nationals selected Law's contract from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Law made the team as a non-roster invitee after tossing 9.1 scoreless innings this spring. The 33-year-old reliever should operate in a middle-relief role for the Nats.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Derek Law: Invited to Nationals' camp
Rotowire
Law signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Law posted a 3.60 ERA and 1.38 WHIP through 55 innings with the Reds last season, yet the team opted to non-tender him in November. Now with the Nationals, Law has a strong chance to make the team's Opening Day bullpen and would likely serve in middle relief.
... See More... See Less
Derek Law: Cut loose by Reds
Rotowire
Law was non-tendered by Cincinnati on Friday.
Law posted a solid 3.60 ERA with 45 strikeouts over 55 innings this past year for the Reds, but they have opted to avoid paying him a raise in salary arbitration. The veteran reliever was projected to command around $1.4 million in 2024. He is now a free agent.
Law gave up two hits in a scoreless ninth inning Saturday to record his second save of the season in a 3-2 win over the Mets.
With Alexis Diaz having pitched three of the prior four days, Reds manager David Bell had to get creative to protect a late lead, and Fernando Cruz worked the seventh and eighth innings before handing the ball off to Law. The right-hander made things interesting, serving up singles to Daniel Vogelbach and Francisco Alvarez, but he got Pete Alonso to ground out to escape the jam. Law has been struggling lately, posting a 10.80 ERA and 2.52 WHIP over his last 10 appearances, and his last hold or save prior to Saturday came July 3, so he's unlikely to see regular high-leverage duty down the stretch.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Derek Law: Opening Thursday's contest
Rotowire
Law will serve as the Reds' opening pitcher for Thursday's game against the Tigers, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Thursday's game will mark the third start of the season for Law, who probably won't more more than an inning or two before turning the game over to Ben Lively (illness), who is expected to operate as a primary pitcher out of the bullpen in his return from the COVID-19-related injured list. The 32-year-old righty has pitched to a 3.83 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 49.1 innings for Cincinnati this season.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Derek Law: Saves bullpen in loss
Rotowire
Law allowed one hit over 2.1 scoreless innings in Saturday's 7-3 loss to Washington.
Law, who entered with the Reds down 6-0, ate up seven outs between the sixth and eighth innings. The right-hander has worked largely in middle relief for the Reds and has posted a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings since his return from the injured list in early July. Control has been an issue, as it has been throughout his career; Law's issued 20 free passes over 35.2 innings (5.0 BB/9) this season.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Derek Law: Makes return from IL
Rotowire
The Reds reinstated Law (elbow) from the 15-day injured list Sunday.
Law will rejoin the Reds ahead of their series finale against the Padres after he had been on the shelf for the past six weeks with a mild flexor mass strain. Cincinnati gave Law the green light to rejoin its bullpen after he struck out four batters over three scoreless innings across his three rehab appearances in the minors.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Derek Law: Moves rehab to Triple-A
Rotowire
Law (elbow) had his rehab assignment transferred Wednesday to Triple-A Louisville.
Law is one step away from returning to the Reds' bullpen following what has already been a five-week absence for a right elbow flexor mass strain. He had pitched to a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings for the Reds prior to the IL stint and worked a perfect rehab frame on 14 pitches this past Sunday at High-A Dayton.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Derek Law: Makes rehab appearance
Rotowire
Law (elbow) began a rehab assignment with High-A Dayton on Sunday and struck out a batter over a perfect inning.
Because Law has been on the shelf since May 19 with a right flexor mass sprain, he'll likely require additional tune-ups in the minors before the Reds are ready to welcome him back from the 15-day injured list. Prior to being deactivated, Law bagged three wins, two holds and one save over his 20 appearances while pitching to a 2.57 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 21 innings.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Derek Law: Throws live bullpen session
Rotowire
Law (elbow) threw a live bullpen session Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Law has been out since May 19 while nursing an elbow sprain, but he could be set to launch a rehab assignment in the near future. The reliever has produced a 2.57 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with 20 strikeouts over 21 innings spanning 20 appearances -- including two starts -- with the Reds this season.
