Roster Moves (2025)

[imref]

Per Andrew Golden - Davey says they will announce the OD roster on Thursday.

[imref]

Via Jeff Passan: Brad Lord makes the 26 man and will pitch out of the bullpen. That leaves the last spot between Rutledge and Ribalta.

[Smithian]

Via Jeff Passan: Brad Lord makes the 26 man and will pitch out of the bullpen. That leaves the last spot between Rutledge and Ribalta.

I don't think Brad Lord will ever be a full time starter, so I'm fine seeing how he does as a pen arm. He just turned 25. I think he could probably develop into a #6 starter where you could use him for a couple starts in a pinch.

[IanRubbish]

I don't think Brad Lord will ever be a full time starter, so I'm fine seeing how he does as a pen arm. He just turned 25. I think he could probably develop into a #6 starter where you could use him for a couple starts in a pinch.

I think he's the org's top pitching prospect.  .5 HR per 9 throughout his minor league career, nearly a 3 K/BB, he keeps the ball in the park and doesn't walk a ton of guys.   He's also thrown a lot more innings than other prospects, hitting 129 IP last year, and been remarkably durable.   For too long, people around here have fallen for Rizzo's man crushes on "physically gifted" hard throwers, and not one has panned out, either getting hurt or being ineffective.  I'm not a big believer in comparing prospects to known MLB'ers, that said Lord reminds me a lot of Logan Webb.  Not going to overpower you, but will also get his share of K's, with an increasingly rare ability to consistently make it through 6 innings.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

What I hope is that he's making it because he gets guy out for multiple innings. I hate to keep dipping into the Red Sox, but sort of like Garrett Whitlock without the injuries. Crochet started in the bullpen then converted back to starting. I'm hoping they keep that as an option for Lord if he proves effective. If he goes 2-3 innings an outing, it's not a huge step to 5 that starters are now asked to do.  Bullpen then rotation is how a lot of guys used to break in. I'm hoping that's what this is rather than pulling the plug and saying you're destined to be Paolo Espino.

[imref]

What I hope is that he's making it because he gets guy out for multiple innings. I hate to keep dipping into the Red Sox, but sort of like Garrett Whitlock without the injuries. Crochet started in the bullpen then converted back to starting. I'm hoping they keep that as an option for Lord if he proves effective. If he goes 2-3 innings an outing, it's not a huge step to 5 that starters are now asked to do.  Bullpen then rotation is how a lot of guys used to break in. I'm hoping that's what this is rather than pulling the plug and saying you're destined to be Paolo Espino.

he's a placeholder until Law is ready. Maybe he earns the spot if Lucas Simms fails to be effective.

[raleighnat]

Nice to see a guy earn a spot with merit.  I feel good about him in the pen.

[imref]

TalkNats says Rutledge is heading to Rochester, with Ribalta getting the final bullpen slot.

So the bullpen is Finnegan, Poche, Simms, Lopez, Lord, Ferrar, Salazar, and Ribalta

[imref]

Per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of BB America - Tena makes the roster. Yepez heading to Rochester.

Assuming Adams is the backup catcher, the 26-man is set.

[aspenbubba]

TalkNats says Rutledge is heading to Rochester, with Ribalta getting the final bullpen slot.

So the bullpen is Finnegan, Poche, Simms, Lopez, Lord, Ferrar, Salazar, and Ribalta

My guess is that only Ferrar, Salazar, Lopez and Lord are on the 26 man at season end.

[imref]

My guess is that only Ferrar, Salazar, Lopez and Lord are on the 26 man at season end.

Yeah, that seems like one of the worst bullpens we have ever fielded, at least until Law gets back.

[imref]

Comparing 2024 to 2025:

C: Ruiz -> Ruiz
1B: Gallo -> Lowe
2B: Garcia Jr. -> Garcia Jr.
SS: Abrams -> Abrams
3B: Senzel -> DeJong
LF: Rosario -> Wood
CF: Robles -> Young
RF: Thomas -> Crews
DH: Meneses -> Bell

SP:
Gore -> Gore
Irvin -> Irvin
Williams -> Williams
Corbin -> Soroka
Gray -> Parker

Bench:
Vargas -> Rosario
Nunez -> Tena
Adams -> Adams
Winker -> Call

Bullpen:
Finnegan -> Finnegan
Harvey -> Salazar
Rainey -> Lopez
Law -> Ribalta
Weems -> Lord
Garcia -> Poche
M. Barnes -> Simms
Floro -> Ferrar

[aspenbubba]

Comparing 2024 to 2025:

C: Ruiz -> Ruiz
1B: Gallo -> Lowe
2B: Garcia Jr. -> Garcia Jr.
SS: Abrams -> Abrams
3B: Senzel -> DeJong
LF: Rosario -> Wood
CF: Robles -> Young
RF: Thomas -> Crews
DH: Meneses -> Bell

SP:
Gore -> Gore
Irvin -> Irvin
Williams -> Williams
Corbin -> Soroka
Gray -> Parker

Bench:
Vargas -> Rosario
Nunez -> Tena
Adams -> Adams
Winker -> Call

Bullpen:
Finnegan -> Finnegan
Harvey -> Salazar
Roark -> Lopez
Law -> Ribalta
Weems -> Lord
Garcia -> Poche
M. Barnes -> Simms
Floro -> Ferrar

Now grade that as an improvement or a decline per player.

[varoadking]

Now grade that as an improvement or a decline per player.

Still a 71 win team no matter how you slice it or dice it...

[Natsinpwc]

I don’t think Tanner Roark was on the Nats last year. Rainey?

[aspenbubba]

I don’t think Tanner Roark was on the Nats last year. Rainey?

Tanner Rainey. Released same day as Finnegan

[tomwvr]

Still a 71 win team no matter how you slice it or dice it...

I think its a mid 60s win team and Davey is gone after the season

[varoadking]

...Davey is gone after the season

From your lips to Sweet Baby Jebus' ear... 

[IanRubbish]

Davey is gone

This happened in a dream I had. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

he's a placeholder until Law is ready. Maybe he earns the spot if Lucas Simms fails to be effective.

I don’t think they start Lord's service clock just for a short stint intending to send him down when Law is back. Rutledge more likely would have been kept. I think Ribalta and Salazar are more likely to be sent down. Maybe a vet if he has options, or a vet gets released.

[Slateman]

I don’t think they start Lord's service clock just for a short stint intending to send him down when Law is back. Rutledge more likely would have been kept. I think Ribalta and Salazar are more likely to be sent down. Maybe a vet if he has options, or a vet gets released.

Rutledge only has one more option. Once they call him up, that's it.

Lord makes a lot of sense considering how shallow this rotation is. Williams isn't five and dive guy. Soroka likely will be before he gets hurt. Parker and Gore aren't exactly consistent deep starters.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Rutledge only has one more option. Once they call him up, that's it.

Lord makes a lot of sense considering how shallow this rotation is. Williams isn't five and dive guy. Soroka likely will be before he gets hurt. Parker and Gore aren't exactly consistent deep starters.

I think they burned it this year. I think that you burn the option when you assign a guy on your 40 man roster to the minors, so it is burned already.

TBH, I think both Rutledge and Lord make more sense than Sims, in part because of Williams probably needing a multi-inning backup. There's just a lot of bridging to do, and running a Sims to Lopez to Ferrer to Finnegan backend will burn those guys out. I don't want to be rooting for one of them to blow up so the others aren't used.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I think its a mid 60s win team and Davey is gone after the season

I will deem this a prediction of 65 or 66 wins and add it to the predictions thread.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of BB America - Tena makes the roster. Yepez heading to Rochester.

Assuming Adams is the backup catcher, the 26-man is set.

It is Adams, so the bench settles on Call, Rosario, Tena, and Adams.

[Smithian]

It is Adams, so the bench settles on Call, Rosario, Tena, and Adams.

Unless they’re down on Young’s bat or plan on Call getting a lot of PH chances, I think Yepez would have been a better choice. Not too worried though. I wonder if this means Tena could be the backup DH?

Tena/Rosario is not a bad backup duo. Let’s hope Tena forces his way into the lineup and that neither Garcia nor Abrams plays Rosario into the lineup more than against an occasional tough LHP.