Closer Kyle Finnegan agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract to return to the Washington Nationals, pending the successful completion of a physical exam, two people with knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized.

It was first reported by ESPN.com.

Finnegan, a first-time NL All-Star in 2024, became a free agent in November when the Nationals failed to offer him a contract. He had a $5.1 million salary last year and was projected to earn about $8.5 million had he remained eligible for arbitration.

The 33-year-old right-hander went 3-8 with a 3.68 ERA and 38 saves in 43 chances and 60 strikeouts across 63 2/3 innings last season. Finnegan ranked second in the National League in saves, behind only Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals.

That was Finnegan’s fifth year in the major leagues, all with Washington. For his career, he is 22-26 with a 3.56 ERA, 88 saves in 109 chances and 288 strikeouts over 290 1/3 innings.

mariners sign veteran reliever gott >> The Seattle Mariners have signed veteran reliever Trevor Gott to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp in spring training.

Gott missed all of the 2024 season after tearing the UCL in his right elbow during spring training with Oakland and had Tommy John surgery last April.

The 32-year-old Gott is 16-15 with a 4.65 ERA and six saves in 255 appearances since making his big league debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2015. This is the right-hander’s second stint with the Mariners. He appeared in 30 games for them in 2023 before being traded to the New York Mets.

dodgers owe more than $1 billion in deferred pay >> The Los Angeles Dodgers owe $1.051 billion in deferred pay to eight players from 2028-46 following Tanner Scott’s $72 million, four-year contract and Teoscar Hernández’s $66 million, three-year deal.

Los Angeles’ high payment point is $100.95 million in both 2038 and ‘39, according to details obtained by The Associated Press.

MLB proposed during collective bargaining on June 21, 2021, to put an end to the practice, but the players’ association rejected the change.