Is Washington Nationals’ Newest Reliever Closer Competition or Insurance?

The risk in non-tendering Kyle Finnegan was not having a plan for the ninth inning.

Bạn đang xem: Is Washington Nationals’ Newest Reliever Closer Competition or Insurance?

The Washington Nationals are still attempting to put together that plan, and it could now include Jorge López.

The Nationals agreed to a one-year deal with the right-hander. He’s just 31 years old, but he’s already played for seven different MLB teams. But he does bring something the Nationals need — some semblance of experience as a closer.

He has 31 career saves, with 23 of those concentrated in his 2022 All-Star season with Baltimore and Minnesota.

Xem thêm : California insurance crisis: Here are the carriers that have fled or reduced coverage in the state

That came a season after he tanked as a starter with the Orioles in 2021. He went 3-14 with a 6.07 ERA in 33 games, with 25 starts.

His career numbers aren’t particularly impressive — 24-43 with a 5.25 ERA in 282 games, with those 31 saves. He’s also managed 23 holds.

The Nationals are hoping they’re getting the reliever who ended last season with the Chicago Cubs. That version of López went 1-1 with two saves and a 2.03 ERA. It was his lowest ERA with any team since his 1.68 ERA with Baltimore back in 2022.

If he’s that reliever again, he could be the closer for the Nationals in 2024. It’s not just the low ERA. In those two stints with the Orioles and Cubs, he boasted a strikeout rate of 10 or more per nine innings. His career strikeout rate is 7.9 per nine innings.

But, López’s career is filled with inconsistency. He’s primarily served as a middle inning reliever or set-up man. If he’s that for the Nationals, then that certainly helps the bullpen.

Xem thêm : West Virginia patients left in limbo over changing insurance coverage of obesity meds

But it also doesn’t solve the closer issue.

Finnegan had 38 of the Nats’ 40 saves last year. The other two were split between Jose A. Ferrer and Derek Law.

The belief this offseason is that Ferrer, a 24-year-old left-hander, will get first crack at the job. The one save he registered last season was the first of his career. He is 4-0 with a 4.23 ERA in 70 appearances since he made his MLB debut in 2023.

Ferrer can be a closer. But he’s unproven at the Major League level. At the minor-league level he has 13 career saves, with 11 of them coming in 2022 before his call-up.

The best-case scenario for the Nationals is that Ferrer takes to the job from the outset and López serves as a back-up. But if that doesn’t happen, López gives Washington some coverage.