The Nats still need to shore up the bullpen before the season starts and there are some solid options available
Despite the addition of Jorge Lopez, more help is needed in the Washington Nationals bullpen. While there are some interesting young guys, the bullpen has a dangerously low floor. GM Mike Rizzo needs to add a veteran who can provide stability after non-tendering Kyle Finnegan.
The two best candidates remaining on the market are David Robertson and Kenley Jansen. While both are old, with Robertson turning 40 in April and Jansen being 37, they still have plenty of gas in the tank. They also have long track records of closing games, something the Nats do not have on the roster.
Robertson was stellar in 2024, posting a 3.00 ERA across 72 innings with 99 strikeouts. After some injury plagued seasons, Robertson has been superb as a high leverage reliever in the last three years. His stuff also remains excellent, showing no signs of deterioration despite his advanced years. Robertson would be a sure fire closer, and a veteran presence, which the Nats need. He would also only be a one year deal, making the signing a no risk proposition. If the Nats are out of the race, they can flip him at the deadline, bit if they take a leap in the standings, Robertson would be a valuable piece.
A lot of the same things apply to Kenley Jansen. In fact, they are quite similar pitchers. Both are veterans who rely heavily on a hard cutter. Jansen is even more cutter reliant than Robertson, throwing the pitch 85% of the time. While he is not as dominant as he was when he was a Dodger, he is still a very effective closer. He posted a 3.29 ERA with 27 saves last season for Boston. With his FIP lower than his ERA, there are no big red flags for Jansen.
He has also been linked to the Nats, with ESPN predicting that he will land in DC. With 32 saves away from moving to third all time in saves, closing opportunity is likely an important factor for the veteran. The Nationals can give him that opportunity, and are also not a true bottom dweller. It is a realistic solution to a big problem the Nats have. Jorge Lopez and Jose A Ferrer do not have the pedigree of a Jansen. Mike Rizzo cannot let a bad bullpen drag down the young core.
A fall back option would be to just bring back Kyle Finnegan for less money than $8.6 million he was projected to make in arbitration. This would be my least favorite option of the three. Finnegan has the lowest ceiling of the options, and wouldn’t be that much cheaper. His FIP of 4.25 was higher than his 3.68 ERA. He also posted a paltry 5.79 ERA in the second half of the season. We know who Finnegan is, a fine closer, but someone who can be upgraded pretty easily.
However, if they brought him back I wouldn’t be mad. We know he can pitch in high leverage and survive. That is a trait which not many Nats relievers possess. There are young guys like Ferrer, Evan Reifart, Zach Brzykcy, Eduardo Salazar, Mason Thompson, and Orlando Ribalta that have upside, but there is so much uncertainty. If the Nats are serious about winning more games than previous years, they need a stabilizer in the bullpen.