Sean Doolittle reportedly in agreement to return to Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

He’s back.

Relief pitcher Sean Doolittle has agreed on a deal to return to the Washington Nationals, according to multiple reports. The Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty was first to report the two sides having discussions. The deal is pending a physical.

Doolittle returns to Washington after one season away from the club. The 35-year-old began the 2021 season as a member of the Cincinnati Reds, where he appeared in 45 games. He was designated for assignment in late August and would sign with the Seattle Mariners two days later. Doolittle would appear in 11 games for Seattle over the final five weeks of the season.

Now, Doolittle returns to Washington, a place he spent three and a half seasons. The Nationals originally acquired the left-hander in mid-July in 2017, just days before the trade deadline. Doolittle would serve as Washington’s primary closer for the next two and a half seasons. He was named to the NL All-Star team in 2018 and played an instrumental role in Washington’s World Series run in 2019.

For his career, Doolittle has appeared in 457 games with a 3.23 ERA. After a down season in 2021, Doolittle will have the chance to bounce back with Washington in 2022, joining a bullpen that has plenty of question marks moving forward.