Foster Griffin

Foster Griffin

30-Year-Old PitcherSP
Washington Nationals
2026 Fantasy Outlook
Griffin, a first-round pick by the Royals back in 2014, only threw eight big-league innings through the end of his age-26 season before deciding to head overseas in search of more regular opportunities. In 315.2 innings across three seasons for the Yomiuri Giants, he cruised to a 2.57 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, striking out 25.1% of batters while walking just 5.5% and allowing a total of just 18 home runs. His 2025 season was cut short after 78 innings due to a knee injury, but that half-season sample saw him post a dominant 1.62 ERA and 0.95 WHIP while allowing just a single homer. It was enough to convince the Nationals to bring the lefty back to the majors on a one-year, $5.5 million deal, though that dollar value isn't high enough that Griffin is a lock for a rotation spot. If his broad repertoire and pitchability are able to overcome some below-average velocity, he could be a capable innings eater, but a swingman role is also possible. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season From Preseason
#448
ADP
Signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Nationals in December of 2025.
Tagged for four in no-decision
PWashington Nationals
April 16, 2026
Griffin took a no-decision Thursday against the Pirates, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out seven in 5.1 innings.
Analysis
It was smooth sailing for Griffin through four innings, but he ran into some trouble in the fifth after being handed a 4-0 lead. The 30-year-old allowed four runs of his own in the bottom of the frame, the biggest swing being a three-run home run from Marcell Ozuna. That blast snapped a streak of three straight starts in which the lefty had allowed two runs or fewer. On the bright side, Griffin has 19 strikeouts through 20.2 innings to begin the season, showing a little more dominance than anticipated. His next scheduled start will come against Atlanta, fourth in MLB with 24 home runs, early next week.
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Pitching Stats
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2026 MLB Game Log
2026
2022
2020
2026 MLB Game Log
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Scoring
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
88
Last 10 Games
88
Last 5 Games
87
How many pitches does Foster Griffin generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Foster Griffin generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2024
 
 
-27%
BAA vs LHP
2026
 
 
-27%
BAA vs LHP
2025
No Stats
2024
No Stats
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2024vs Left .192 29 8 2 5 2 0 1
Since 2024vs Right .264 58 11 5 14 1 0 2
2026vs Left .192 29 8 2 5 2 0 1
2026vs Right .264 58 11 5 14 1 0 2
2025vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2024
 
 
-48%
ERA at Home
2026
 
 
-48%
ERA at Home
2025
No Stats
2024
No Stats
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2024Home 1.80 1.60 5.0 0 0 0 10.8 5.4 1.8
Since 2024Away 3.45 1.15 15.2 2 0 0 7.5 2.3 1.1
2026Home 1.80 1.60 5.0 0 0 0 10.8 5.4 1.8
2026Away 3.45 1.15 15.2 2 0 0 7.5 2.3 1.1
2025Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Foster Griffin compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.71
 
K/9
8.3
 
BB/9
3.0
 
HR/9
1.3
 
Fastball
91.4 mph
 
ERA
3.05
 
WHIP
1.26
 
BABIP
.289
 
GB/FB
1.04
 
Left On Base
87.2%
 
Exit Velocity
82.8 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
8.3%
 
Spin Rate
2080 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
23.3%
 
Swinging Strike
10.3%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Foster Griffin See More
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Foster Griffin See More
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2025
2016
2015
Griffin was a first-round pick by the Royals back in 2014, but he's only managed eight MLB innings to date. The last of those came in 2022, at which point he decided to head overseas in search of more regular opportunities in Japan. Now a 29-year-old free agent, Griffin could look to parlay his two successful seasons in NPB into another shot at an MLB rotation. In two years for the Yomiuri Giants, Griffin recorded a 2.88 ERA and 1.06 WHIP, pairing a 25.1 K% (well above the league average of 18.8%) with a 5.4 BB%. Miles Mikolas and Nick Martinez provide proof that pitchers can go from non-factors at the MLB level to players capable of providing multiple strong seasons after a brief interlude in Japan, so Griffin should be able to find someone willing to take a chance if he decides to return. Martinez's swingman role could be one Griffin seeks to replicate, as his best success stateside came after he moved to relief in 2022 and produced a 2.10 ERA and 27.1 K% at the Triple-A level.
Griffin spent 2015 with Low-A Lexington, where he had a pretty underwhelming season. The Royals' 2014 draft pick has the potential for three above average pitches but he has a long way to go before projection intersects with reality. The 19-year-old should head to High-A for most of 2016, meaning he is probably three or four years away from the big leagues. In dynasty leagues that roster fewer than 250 prospects, Griffin is simply a player to follow for now.
As a 6-foot-3 left-handed pitching prospect, Griffin showed the Royals enough upside for them to select him 28th overall in the 2014 first-year player draft. He went on to post a strong 3.21 ERA during 28 innings of rookie ball, but was helped out a bit by a 75.3% strand rate and uncharacteristically-low .210 BABIP. At just 19 years old, Griffin has plenty of time to develop his secondary pitches, and should be able to improve upon an upper-80s fastball as he moves through the ranks of the farm system. He projects as a strong lefty reliever at the big league level, with a chance to evolve into a mid-rotation option if he can display more consistency with his curveball.
More Fantasy News
Flirts with no-hitter in second win
PWashington Nationals
April 11, 2026
Griffin (2-0) recorded the win Saturday against the Brewers, allowing no runs on one hit and three walks in 5.1 innings. He struck out one.
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Solid against Dodgers
PWashington Nationals
April 5, 2026
Griffin (1-0) did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Dodgers, allowing a run on five hits and three walks across five innings. He struck out six.
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Works through five in win
PWashington Nationals
March 30, 2026
Griffin (1-0) earned the victory Monday against the Phillies, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out five over five innings.
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Gets stretched out Friday
PWashington Nationals
March 21, 2026
Griffin gave up three runs on five hits and two walks over five innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins. He struck out five.
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Effective in spring debut
PWashington Nationals
March 5, 2026
Griffin gave up two hits and a walk over two scoreless innings in Wednesday's exhibition game against Team Venezuela. He struck out one.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Receiving big-league offers
PFree Agent
December 15, 2025
Griffin has received at least one multi-year offer to return to MLB ahead of the 2026 season, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
Analysis
Griffin has been eyeing a return to the majors for quite some time after pitching at a high level for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan in the last three seasons. The lefty is keen on pitching as a starter at the MLB level in 2026 and is getting some interest, although it's uncertain what kind of deal he'll end up signing. Griffin could be seen as a potential innings-eater in the back of a rotation if he ends up signing a deal with an MLB team.
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