Nats still seeking bullpen help as camp opens

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – If the season began today, and the Nationals held a slim lead entering the ninth inning, who would emerge from the bullpen to close the game?

“Right now, I don’t try to think about it,” manager Davey Martinez said with a smile. “I think it’ll all shape up.”

The season doesn’t begin today, of course, and that’s probably a good thing because the Nats don’t have a complete handle on the eventual makeup of their Opening Day bullpen yet.

After non-tendering All-Star Kyle Finnegan following the season, the team has signed a couple of experienced free agents to modest contracts in right-hander Jorge López ($3 million) and left-hander Colin Poche (minor league deal). Those two join returning setup man Derek Law, promising young lefty Jose A. Ferrer, returning-from-injury Mason Thompson and inexperienced righties Eduardo Salazar, Zach Brzykcy, Orlando Ribalta and Evan Reifert in a relief corps that looks quite diminished on paper.

López is the only one in the group with anything resembling big-league closing experience, with 23 of his 31 career saves coming in 2022 with the Orioles and Twins. He is best suited in a setup role, perhaps sharing that job with always-available workhorse Law.

Ferrer has the best arm of the group and may ascend to the closer’s role at some point, but he’s only 24 and has made only 70 major league appearances, having yet to pitch through a full season in D.C.

There are a number of free agent relievers still available even as camps open across Florida and Arizona, including a few experienced closers (David Robertson, Craig Kimbrel). The Angels just signed Kenley Jansen this week for $10 million.

Could the Nationals still be seeking to add someone who could assume the ninth-inning role?

“Yeah, definitely for me it’s going to be hopefully somebody that can pitch in the back end of the bullpen,” Martinez said. “That’s kind of what we’re looking for. We feel like we have guys right now. I know I dabbled a little bit with Ferrer pitching in September, in that ninth inning. We got Jorge López, who I think could really fill a void. And we got some other guys, like Law, that’s going to do fine. We do like Poche; he has pitched close games before. But I know that we are definitely looking for somebody that can pitch in the back end of the bullpen.”

Finnegan, for what it’s worth, remains unsigned as well. The door has always remained open for a potential reunion, though a source close to the 33-year-old said he’s still hoping some team makes him an offer in the range of the $8 million to $9 million he would’ve received through arbitration had the Nationals retained him.

Jacob Barnes, who is not a closer but did provide solid work over 63 appearances last season, also remains unsigned, and there could be mutual interest in a return, according to a source.

The Nats do have a history of adding bullpen arms during spring training. One year ago, they signed both Law and Barnes (plus former Red Sox closer Matt Barnes) after camp opened. Given how many free-agent relievers are still out there seeking work, it seems a good bet at least one or two will wind up here in West Palm Beach in the coming weeks.

Whether that someone is capable of taking over the ninth inning remains to be seen.

“We’re definitely in a position where, yeah, of course, anybody would love a bona fide closer,” Martinez said. “But we think that we have some guys that could do it.”