baseball
Nats' Cade Cavalli gets $4M lockout-shielded signing bonus
Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli will get a $4 million signing bonus as part of his new deal which will be shielded from losses from a possible lockout.
23 September 2026 22:52 · 1 min
WASHINGTON -- Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli receives a $4 million signing bonus on Nov. 30 as part of a $47 million, four-year contract covering 2027-30, a payment shielded from potential losses caused by a possible lockout.
Cavalli gets salaries of $4 million next year, $7 million in 2028, $10 million in 2029 and $20 million in 2030 as part of the deal announced Friday.
Washington has a $25 million team option for 2031 with a $2 million buyout.
His 2030 salary could escalate by $5 million based on his finish in Cy Young Award voting and his 2031 option price could go up by a maximum $7.5 million, with 2029 voting impacting both years and 2030 affecting the following season.
Winning a Cy Young would trigger a $5 million boost, finishing second would be worth $2.5 million, third $1 million, fourth $750,000 and fifth $500,000.
Cavalli agreed in January to a one-year deal guaranteeing $862,500: an $862,500 salary this year and a $4 million team option for 2027 with a $7,500 buyout. As part of the superseding contract, he will not receive the buyout.
Cavalli would have been eligible for free agency after the 2029 season.
