Kelley made it easy to close the committee at the closer spot

Manager Dusty Baker appears to be going with the closer-by-committee approach as the team waits for the return of closer Jonathan Papelbon.

In last night's late game against the Padres, Tanner Roark gave Baker six innings, allowing four runs.

Blake Treinen arrived in the seventh and was able to get out of the frame. Treinen pitched around a hit and a walk with two strikeouts.

Felipe Rivero somehow managed to fight through the eighth. Despite being unable to throw strikes, he was able to strike out a right-handed hitter and induce an inning-ending double play.

Up 8-4, Rivero came out for the ninth but got into trouble. With one out and a man on first, Wil Myers launched a ground-rule double that at first looked like a two-run homer. Bryce Harper signaled the ball got caught in the fence and Myers was awarded a ground-rule double.

It could have very easily been 8-6. The two runs the Nationals plated in the ninth turned out to be crucial insurance tallies.

Shawn Kelley relieved and induced a sac fly that made it 8-5. He then finished off the game with a soft groundout by Yangervis Solarte.

Treinen, Rivero and Kelley appear to have the best swing-and-miss stuff on this squad. But what about Sammy Solis?

He also has the stuff that might be able to sustain as closer for a couple of weeks until Papelbon returns.

You can assume that Mike Rizzo and Baker like the results they are getting from Kelley after settling on him as the closer for the time being. But even the right-hander admitted he didn't want to go for a third Tommy John surgery. Solis has also has the procedure once in his career back in 2012.

But with the wear and tears quotient a possible issue, maybe Kelley and Solis could work the ninth innings until Papelbon is back. This bullpen outfit of seven players had only 16 combined saves their entire careers.

Rivero is struggling against left-handed hitters. His changeup works better against lefties. They either can't see it right now or it just looks like something else when a righty tries to hit it versus a left-handed batter.

For now, Baker seems confident Kelley as the closer: He has gone four consecutive outings without allowing run or a hit.