Time to set up the bullpen thread for this year. With the cuts earlier this week, and Doo's slower progress, there are 3 lefties in camp: Anthony Banda (on the run), Matt Cronin, and Jose Ferrer. Jesse Dougherty discusses the traditional "do the Nats have / need a lefty in the bullpen" question here:
It’s spring again: The Nationals have a lefty reliever conundrumBanda, 29 and a nonroster invite to spring training, pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees in 2022, yielding 20 earned runs in 26⅔ innings. Cronin, 25, has not pitched above Class AAA, while Ferrer, newly 23, has not pitched above AA. The options, then, are a mix of uninspiring and inexperienced. But while the Nationals have papered over a lack of lefties in the past, Manager Dave Martinez seems, well, uninterested in a plan of that nature.
[notes Davey hasn't emphasized it in the past but says it would be a preference. Discusses past array of Clays and the like, and how the 3 batter minimum has changed the role from strictly a matchup LOOGY to someone who can get the tough lefty hitters plus be usable against righties]
...
Once Harper returns from injury, the Phillies will have him and Kyle Schwarber in the middle of their order. With the New York Mets, a lefty could face Brandon Nimmo and then flip the switch-hitting Francisco Lindor from the left side to the right (granted, Lindor was only marginally worse as a righty last year). And the Atlanta Braves have strong left-handed batters in Michael Harris, Matt Olson and switch-hitter Ozzie Albies.
And that’s just in the Nationals’ division.
So will Washington initially roster Banda, Cronin or Ferrer? Two of them? Or come the end of this month, will Martinez be stuck explaining why [insert name of right-handed reliever] negates the need for a lefty because they should have good reverse splits? Wander Suero, Will Harris and Andrés Machado, who’s still with the club, are in the esteemed group of pitchers who have been used for that logic. Veteran reliever Alex Colomé and his cutter could join them soon, though he’s struggled with the new pitch clock.
Notes the pluses and minuses of the remaining 3 lefty relievers.
Banda has the usual splits. 2/3 of his pitches are 4 seem and change up, but he's added a sinker and throws a slider.
Ferrer has hit 97 in camp, and has a change and is reintroducing his slider. GEtting tested against major leaguers this spring, has fans on the staff, fast riser, but hasn't pitched above AA.
Cronin was dominant in AA but in AAA not so much last year. Also throws a 4 seem fastball and an occasional splitter, threw a curve but is playing with a slider.
Suggests that Banda may stick until Doo is ready so that Cronin and Ferrer can pitch more frequently (in the minors). Alternatively, if they continue to pitch solidly, they may develop in the majors. Both are on the 40 man roster.
