Bullpen in 2026: Who's next?

[varoadking]

Is that 3 K's or an immaculate inning of 9 strikes?

He simply retired the 3 batters nhe faced...no immaculate inning...in fact, no K's at all. 

I guess that's called a perfect inning now.  In the old days we'd call it "3 up, 3 down"

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He simply retired the 3 batters nhe faced...no immaculate inning...in fact, no K's at all. 

I guess that's called a perfect inning now.  In the old days we'd call it "3 up, 3 down"

an immaculate inning is 9 pitches, 3 Ks.

[imref]

He simply retired the 3 batters nhe faced...no immaculate inning...in fact, no K's at all. 

I guess that's called a perfect inning now.  In the old days we'd call it "3 up, 3 down"

So does that mean it’s not a perfect game if you don’t strike everyone out? 

[varoadking]

an immaculate inning is 9 pitches, 3 Ks.

Yes...

[varoadking]

So does that mean it’s not a perfect game if you don’t strike everyone out?

I don't know...I don't make the rules...just never hear it called that before.  I've personally referred to it as 3up-3down or a clean inning...

[welch]

Is Poulin back? Is Parker still with the Nats, and ready to fail again?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Is Poulin back? Is Parker still with the Nats, and ready to fail again?

Typically they don't make a move until late afternoon closer to game time. I expect a leak to TalkNats or Zuckerman to work his sources and break it.

[Squab]

Parkers stuff has been degrading lately, along with his results. Gotta wonder if he's a little hurt or something, and hopefully that he could get better with some time in AAA.

- 4FB velo down in 4 straight appearances from May 26 - June 8. From 94.6 - 92.1. June 10th: 93.2
- Stuff+ shows all down below is season average as well

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/mitchell-parker/27636/game-log?position=P&gds=&gde=&season=2026&type=11
https://www.fangraphs.com/players/mitchell-parker/27636/game-log?position=P&gds=&gde=&season=2026&type=41

[Slateman]

I've said this for a while, but Parker is a lot better with higher velo. They need to change him to a one inning guy.

[blue911]

I've said this for a while, but Parker is a lot better with higher velo. They need to change him to a one inning guy.

Do you think he can become the next Sean Doolittle? Throw 95 right at the very top of the strike zone? I don’t, I see him as the heir to Matt Chico.

[Slateman]

Do you think he can become the next Sean Doolittle? Throw 95 right at the very top of the strike zone? I don’t, I see him as the heir to Matt Chico.

I'd settle for middle relief. I wish I could find stats that graph with fastball velo. Id love to see what hitters do against him when he's 95-96 rather than 92-94

[welch]

Do you think he can become the next Sean Doolittle? Throw 95 right at the very top of the strike zone? I don’t, I see him as the heir to Matt Chico.

Matt Chico!! I had forgotten him, but I think I saw Chico pitch against the Mets at Shea. I remember that Ryan Church leaned back, almost like a windup, and hit the ball well beyond the Big Apple in right-center.

So Parker reminds you of Matt Chico?

[aspenbubba]

Brad Lord is the only pitcher I trust on this team. I guess that is why the phrase “ Trust in the Lord” is a truism.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Tonight's relievers threw (pitches / strikes):
Ribalta 14-8;
Lovelady 12-8;
Schultz 15-11;
Varland, G 23-14

Varland threw 20 yesterday
Lord threw 48
Beeter threw 18 yesterday and 10 Sunday.

Poulin also threw 15 Sunday.

Parker hasn't appeared since last Wednesday (8  pitches).

Let's say Lord and Varland are unavailable. Poulin and Parker are rested. Lovelady, Ribalta, and Schultz should be available. Beeter also likely available.

[welch]

Butera will probably want Parker to pitch just to shake off last week.

[tomterp]

Butera will probably want Parker to pitch just to shake off last week.

There's no other way out, right?  Coach him up, let Doolittle give him some mental support and see if he can become a useful bullpen component.  If not, Alvarez may soon be available for spot service if Herz can come back.

[Slateman]

There's no other way out, right?  Coach him up, let Doolittle give him some mental support and see if he can become a useful bullpen component.  If not, Alvarez may soon be available for spot service if Herz can come back.

You could send him to Rochester and call up someone else. Plenty of DFA options if you need a spot on the 40 man

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/we-should-account-for-inherited-runners-better/

This Ben Clemens article is absolute genius and very relevant to the Nats bullpen.  More or less, playing with the B-R method of measuring runs allowed per 9 innings (a tweaked ERA ) and the run expectancy when a reliever enters  a game, he comes up with a measure of how a reliever did that accounts for both the runs he gets charged as well as the difficulty of the situation he came in and left behind. This addresses when a guy has a bad performance but doesn't get charged with runs and gives credit for a guy coming in and bailing out the pitcher before him who left a mess.

Clemens only gives the 10 best and 10 worst relievers by this measure, so it's kind of remarkable that the Nats have 2 relievers on each list. I'm going to slip the names under a spoiler so you can guess who is under each. To reveal a spoiler, hover your mouse over the black strip.

Best :  Ribalta, Beeter
Worst: Poulin, Varland

It's really a clear and easy read even if you aren't sabr-stat inclined.

Moral for the Nats? There's 2 guys who should be "firemen / stoppers for mid-inning messes, and 2 guys who should only be used to start innings

[JCA-CrystalCity]

 Andrew Golden back with the Banner.  On Lord:

Over his last 15 outings, Lord is 4-0 with a 1.10 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP and 31 strikeouts to just 10 walks. Opponents are batting just .175. Two of the four runs he’s allowed in that stretch were surrendered in his prior appearance.
...
This season, the Nationals kept him in the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever. He’s thrived. Lord has dropped his four-seam fastball usage by 11% and added a sweeper that hitters are batting .095 against.

“The sweeper is good itself, but it’s made my fastballs better just because they have to honor more separation in the pitches,” Lord said. “Just another pitch for them to worry about and a different look.”

[aspenbubba]

I know this is a lot to ask but I would like to know how many games the BP has blown in the 8 and 9 th innings this season.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I know this is a lot to ask but I would like to know how many games the BP has blown in the 8 and 9 th innings this season.

today it was the 7th. They had 19 blown saves before today, but  not all of those were in the 8th or 9th.

[blue911]

I know this is a lot to ask but I would like to know how many games the BP has blown in the 8 and 9 th innings this season.

I don’t know but they had 19 blown saves heading into today’s game.

[Squab]

most in the league, Detroit with 17. average is 11
https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/2026-reliever-pitching.shtml

can sort this table. also most save opps, 12 over average.

[Squab]

After an efficient start to the season, Parker allowed 17 earned runs and committed five blown saves over an 18-inning stretch. Washington figured it was time for a reset: Over the 10 days, Crawford and Nats bullpen coach Dustin Glant have worked intensely with Parker to find a new grip and shape on his pitches. On Saturday, he threw with a new fastball (that had more rise) and a new slider (that finally had a different spin than his curveball). He tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames.

Looking at this in Statcast data, you can kinda see it. I think it also helped that his fastball velo was back up to 94.

Fastball Spin + different spin of slider/curve:


New distinction between slider/curveball. Though kinda seems like the slider ain't moving much horizontally?


But it is vertically, average of 0-2 -> -5.5 is a huge change. You can see the fastball here too.


https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/mitchell-parker-680730?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb&season=2026

[JCA-CrystalCity]

guessing they will call Carson Palmquist up for bullpen depth. Probably Schultz gets moved out. Zak Kent has been pitching well but pitched tonight.

Granillo, Perales aren't doing well, Henry hasn't pitched in 3 weeks.