Akash Pamarthy / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Nationals announced Tuesday that they’ve signed veteran right-hander Wily Peralta to a minor league contract. He’s been invited to Major League camp this spring, per the team.

Peralta, 33, was a starter early in his career with the Brewers but has pitched primarily out of the bullpen dating back to 2017. He’s spent the past two seasons with the Tigers — ’21 in the rotation and ’22 in the ’pen — for whom he’s logged a combined 2.93 ERA in 132 innings of work.

It’s rare to see a healthy pitcher with an ERA that impressive over a sample that large sign a non-guaranteed pact, but Peralta’s well below-average 15.8% strikeout rate and lofty 10.9% walk rate surely gave clubs some pause. Peralta has also benefited from a .268 average on balls in play and a massive 80.2% left-on-base rate, both of which are likely to regress. Metrics like FIP (4.93) and SIERA (5.15) feel he’s highly unlikely to sustain anything close to the level of performance he displayed in Detroit.

That said, the contract still represents a nice add for a rebuilding Nationals club that is light on established arms — particularly in the bullpen. Closer Kyle Finnegan has stepped up as Washington’s top reliever over the past couple seasons, and he’ll be joined by Carl Edwards Jr., veteran swingman Erasmo Ramirez and oft-injured but talented arms like Hunter Harvey and Victor Arano.

If the Nats are viewing Peralta as more of a rotation option than a bullpen arm, he’ll have opportunity there as well. On paper, Washington’s rotation looks full with Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, Trevor Williams, Josiah Gray and prospects Cade Cavalli and MacKenzie Gore among the in-house options. However, Strasburg’s career has been calamitously derailed by injuries over the past several seasons; he’s pitched in eight games since re-signing in Washington after the 2019 season, due largely to a bout with thoracic outlet syndrome that wiped out his 2021 season and led to a stress reaction developing in his ribcage in 2022. Neither Gore nor Cavalli has established himself in the big leagues, meanwhile, and Gray is still working to curtail the massive home run issues that have thus far prevented him from living up to his former top prospect status.

Peralta is one of several non-roster invitees of note who’ll have a chance to open the season on the Nationals’ pitching staff. Sean Doolittle and Alex Colome will both vie for bullpen spots in camp this spring, as will less-experienced NRIs like Anthony Banda, Anthony Castro and Francisco Perez.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Timberwolves make major decision regarding ownership
MLB, MLBPA make decision on Rays' All-Star SS
Yankees reporter critiques team for 'crazy idea' regarding star slugger
Browns GM names player he wants to 'retain as long as possible'
Watch: Ref blows crucial foul call, costs 76ers chance to spoil James Harden's return
Elly De La Cruz surprises fans with latest interview
Shaquille O’Neal takes brutal shot at Nets’ Ben Simmons
NBA outlines reason behind Draymond Green's latest ejection
Watch: Rockets player trolls Warriors after 10th straight win
Sweet Carolina! Panthers bring home former No. 1 overall pick
Dodgers signing catcher to 10-year extension
Insider shares major update on return of 76ers' Joel Embiid
Watch: Draymond Green’s ejection leaves Stephen Curry dejected
UConn HC Dan Hurley delivers hilarious transfer portal analogy
Did Jim Harbaugh tip his hand about what Chargers will do with No. 5 pick?
Eagles' Saquon Barkley opens up about unexpected feud with Giants legend
Lions re-sign career backup QB
Jets' Robert Saleh, Woody Johnson had 'heated conversation' at owners meetings?
Mets release power-hitting first baseman
USC HC Lincoln Riley makes revealing comments about NIL

Want more MLB news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.