Bronson Arroyo signed a Minor-League contract with the Washington Nationals that includes a non-roster invitation to Spring Training, the club announced Tuesday night.
Arroyo, who will turn 39 years old on Feb. 24, missed all of last season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
The right-hander began 2015 with the Arizona Diamondbacks but was traded along with Touki Toussaint to the Atlanta Braves in June.
The move was a salary dump as Arizona saved $9.5 million by dealing Arroyo. He was then sent to the Dodgers on July 30 in a three-team, 13-player trade.
Los Angeles received $7.45 million from the Braves as part of the deal. Arroyo never reported with the Dodgers and instead spent his time rehabbing at the club’s Camelback Ranch Spring Training facility.
The Dodgers predictably declined Arroyo’s $13 million team option for this season, which equated to a $4.5 million buyout for the right-hander. The cost of which was covered by the cash received from Atlanta.
Arroyo last pitched on June 15, 2014 for the Diamondbacks. He managed to make 14 starts that season, going 7-4 with a 4.08 ERA, 4.32 FIP and 1.29 WHIP over 86 innings pitched prior to being placed on the disabled list.
One of the starts was a complete-game victory against the Nationals in which Arroyo allowed just one run and had seven strikeouts as he outdueled Stephen Strasburg. Arroyo was 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA over his final three starts in 2014.
He reunites with Nationals skipper Dusty Baker, who previously managed Arroyo for six seasons (2008-13) with the Cincinnati Reds.
