When the overall team ERA is 6.88, you don’t need an article. Clearly they’re coming into easy situations where the team is already down 5-10 runs. Beeter, Ogasawara, and Ribalta all have season ERAs over 5.50, do you really think they magically found their stuff today in a game that was basically over and Nats batters walked just twice while striking out 16 times?
most of Ogasawara's damage was in his 2 starts and his first relief appearance. He's been mostly fine in relief. he's really only had one bad performance (vs the NYY on 8/26). A bit lucky as he's given up homers and walked too many, so there's reasons for the jury to be out on him, but he's gotten his job done 9 out of the last 10 appearances (14.1 IP).
Generally, I'm not sold on any of the relievers. Henry and Ferrer have shown a bit of ability high leverage and late innings since the deadline deals, and as you say the rest have been throwing mostly in blowouts. Guys like Pilkington have looked good until they don't. All that said, there's at least something to follow in Beeter and Poulin, and if you squint you might have another arm or two for lower leverage and middle innings.
I could see 5-6 useful pieces, which would be great, but I think more likely is 3 or 4. TBH, that's not a step back from what we thought we had going into the year with Finnegan, Law, and Ferrer, except that all of the guys we have going forward have multiple years of team control. Most have options, so that also gives flexibility we haven't had with the veteran heavy pens.
