WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals signed recently released closer Francisco Rodriguez to a minor league deal, according to a person familiar with the situation. Rodriguez, 35, whose 437 career saves rank fourth all-time, lost the closer’s job with the Tigers this season and was pitching to a 7.82 ERA before Detroit released the veteran and former World Series star whose numbers have dropped across the board.

That the Nationals pursued the six-time all-star is not surprising. They are desperate for bullpen help, but always cost-conscious, and Rodriguez comes cheap. Though the terms of the deal were not immediately available, early indications were that it was for minimal cost.

“Depends if he’s still K-Rod,” Nationals Manager Dusty Baker said when asked for his reaction to a deal. “That’s what it boils down to. I would take Sandy Koufax, but he might not be the same Sandy Koufax. So we’ll see. I haven’t seen the reports.”

The expectation is that Rodriguez would begin in Class AAA Syracuse, and that he signed a minor league deal indicates some skepticism on the Nationals’ behalf. But as the calendar flips to July, the Nationals almost certainly will be taking chances and making calls to improve their bullpen in the coming weeks. In Rodriguez, they are buying low on a veteran with a good reputation for helping young pitchers, while not siphoning many resources away from their pursuit of higher profile relievers with more recent success.

Rodriguez does have a reputation as a hothead, one solidified by a postgame incident during his time with the Mets in which he was arrested for assaulting his father-in-law in the Mets’ family lounge.