Veteran Peralta ready and willing if Nats need rotation help

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – If everything goes according to plan this spring, the Nationals likely won’t have a spot on the major league roster for Wily Peralta. They’ve got five in-house starters they would like to comprise the Opening Day rotation.

But if something does go awry – and more often than not, it does – the most likely option to take over an available rotation slot might well be Peralta, a 33-year-old right-hander with a 56-61 record and 4.29 ERA across 10 big league seasons with the Brewers, Royals and Tigers.

That’s why he chose to sign with the Nats this winter, even if it meant accepting a non-guaranteed, minor-league deal.

“I think I have an opportunity to help them out,” Peralta said. “I think I’ve got an opportunity to make the team here and help the young guys. That’s what I’m here for.”

Peralta has been a starter most of his career, peaking in 2014 when he went 17-11 with a 3.53 ERA for Milwaukee. But he actually found himself having success pitching out of the bullpen last season in Detroit, producing a 2.58 ERA in 28 appearances, all but one of them coming in relief.

Citing his ability to locate all of his pitches, especially his split-finger fastball, well, Peralta thrived in an unfamiliar role in 2022. Along the way, he learned to embrace the idea of pitching one or two innings at a time instead of five or six.

“It took me a little bit of time to get comfortable there,” he said. “It’s different, a different routine. But I was able to make the adjustment, and I pitched fine out of the bullpen. And now it doesn’t matter what position I’m at. Whether it’s bullpen or rotation, I’m fine with it.”

The Nationals, who currently claim more depth in the bullpen than in the rotation, plan to treat Peralta as a starter this spring, stretching out his workload and building him up to pitch five innings every five days. If there’s a need for a No. 5 starter come the end of March, they want him to be ready for the assignment.

“I know Wily had some success in the bullpen role as a long guy,” manager Davey Martinez said. “But we are looking for him to come here and lengthen him out to start.”

What, though, happens if everything goes according to plan? What if MacKenzie Gore, Cade Cavalli, Josiah Gray, Patrick Corbin and Trevor Williams are all good to go come the end of camp?

The Nationals would probably hope Peralta agrees to report to Triple-A Rochester, open the season in the Red Wings’ rotation and wait for the inevitable call to come. But as a veteran who signed a minor-league deal, he has the right to refuse a minor-league assignment and could choose to become a free agent instead, hoping he can catch on with another organization.

So, what would happen in that scenario?

“I think it’s too early for that,” Peralta said with a laugh. “Let’s see what happens down the road. Let’s see how my camp goes, and the opportunity they want to give me. I have to do my job anyway, so it doesn’t matter. But it’s early to think about it right now. My main focus right now is to make the team.”