From The Banner · Kyle Williams · · 2m
The Nationals keep winning games their bullpen tries to lose
Washington beat the Angels 6-5 in 10 innings, one day after blowing a four-run lead and its 39th save of the season.
In brief
Washington beat the Angels 6-5 in 10 innings, one day after blowing a four-run lead and its 39th save of the season. The Nationals' bullpen problem is a walks problem, and no free-agent signing fixes that without better pitching development underneath it. Originally reported by The Banner.
Another lead, another collapse
Will Dion gave up the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth at Nationals Park. It was Washington's 39th blown save of the season, and the crowd let him hear it.
The bigger tell
Dion failing is one thing. Dion being the top choice for the ninth inning is the real signal about how thin this bullpen has gotten.
It always starts with a walk
The three-run eighth opened with a walk. So did the ninth-inning rally. Nationals relievers walk 4.13 per nine, and 5.98 per nine in high-leverage spots, worst in the majors.
Won it anyway, in 10
CJ Abrams stole third, then scored on a fielder's choice and an error to win it 6-5. Andrew Alvarez had already thrown seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts.
“Harry [Ford] hit the ball, just try to get home, and we won.”
Butera takes the blame
The manager said he would look internally at whether he put relievers in spots they could handle. They had given Brad Lord a clean inning on purpose after recent struggles.
“We got to find ways to protect four-run leads late in the game, and that starts with me.”
Beeter sent down to reset
Clayton Beeter, a closer earlier this year with 16 high-leverage innings, went to Triple-A Rochester. Richard Lovelady came back off a rehab assignment.
Why demote a high-leverage arm
The team still sees Beeter as a late-inning pitcher, so using him in low-leverage innings made no sense. He is working on mechanical tweaks that are hard to make in the majors.
“We wanted him to go down there, kind of just to reset and get back to who he is.”
A bullpen full of rookies
Jared Simpson, Erik Tolman and Jack Sinclair are pitching in spots that matter. Lovelady, with parts of seven big league seasons, is the most experienced arm active.
The Iglesias temptation
Raisel Iglesias is at a 2.78 ERA in his walk year with the rival Braves. His stuff is ordinary, but he limits walks and gets chases, exactly what Washington lacks.
Buying arms is not a plan
The Rays, Brewers and Guardians stay good by developing pitchers and finding ones other teams gave up on. Paul Toboni needs that engine, not one expensive reliever.
“We do know the walks are something that need to be fixed.”
The essence
The Nationals' bullpen problem is a walks problem, and no free-agent signing fixes that without better pitching development underneath it.
