Is there a role for lefty Grace in next season's bullpen?

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Matt Grace, who made a career-high 40 appearances this year ...

PLAYER REVIEW: MATT GRACE

Age on opening day 2018: 29

How acquired: Eighth-round pick, 2010 draft

MLB service time: 1 year, 65 days

2017 salary: $535,000

Contract status: Under team control in 2018, arbitration-eligible in 2020, free agent in 2023

2017 stats: 1-0, 4.32 ERA, 40 G, 1 GS, 50 IP, 50 H, 25 R, 24 ER, 3 HR, 18 BB, 31 SO, 3 HBP, 1.360 WHIP, 0.3 WAR

Quotable: "Oh, man. He threw the ball great. To be able to do that in a bind ... he only works in two at a time. For him to go out there and give us 4 1/3, that's exactly what we needed. I really put the bullpen in jeopardy tonight, and for him to be able to deliver what this ballclub needed, that really did a number for our team." - Max Scherzer, on Grace's emergency start Aug. 18 after the ace was a late scratch

2017 analysis: Grace entered the season as bullpen depth, a guy who figured to make several trips back and forth between Syracuse and Washington. Things started out that way, but then the combination of the Nationals' relief woes and the left-hander's success led to a permanent roster spot for the season's final 3 1/2 months.

Viewed initially as more of a long man who could provide multiple innings when needed, Grace wound up earning a more prominent role come June as a setup man and then actually got two opportunities to close come July. He recorded saves on back-to-back nights in Cincinnati, the first two of his career, though the desperation the Nats found themselves in to even give him that chance may have helped push general manager Mike Rizzo to make a blockbuster trade for both Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson the next day.

Grace nonetheless continued to play a significant role the rest of the season. The peak for him came Aig. 18 in San Diego, when he was pressed into an emergency start after Scherzer was scratched with a lingering neck ailment. Figuring he'd maybe go three innings at most, Grace wound up throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings on only 52 pitches, leading the Nationals to victory.

2018 outlook: Grace certainly made enough of a case this season to believe he'll again be part of the bullpen mix next season. But will he be good enough to crack the opening day seven? And what exactly is the right role for him?

Grace's ability to throw multiple innings does make him a strong candidate to be a long reliever. But how much do the Nationals need a long man, given the talent they have in their rotation? They don't exactly have well-established left-handers beyond Doolittle, so perhaps Grace could beat out either Sammy Solís or Enny Romero for a job as more of a matchup specialist.

However it shakes out, Grace is going to pitch out of the Nationals bullpen in 2018. It's merely a question of when and in what role.