Nationals Bullpen Primed for Surprise Season

0:00From Washington Nationals coverage, this is your March 16th update. Last season, the Washington Nationals bullpen had the worst ERA in baseball at 5.59. That's a far cry from what many expect in 2026 when the unit should bounce back to around 4.14, similar to their 20, 24 mark. The front office, led by Paul Taboni, plans heavy turnover with ongoing waiver claims and quick demotions for underperformers. This flexibility helps, since few relievers have guaranteed big league deals avoiding long slumps like those from past seasons. Key high leverage arms returning include Clayton Beater, who posted a 2.49 ERA last year and is leaning more on his swing and miss. Slider. Cole Henry should improve too, with added cutter usage bridging his fastball and sweeper for a fuller arsenal. Younger options like Brad Lord and PJ Poulin adds stability, while better in Sionel Perez and Drew Smith joined on minor league deals.

1:00Both have solid track records and have thrown well this spring after recent struggles. Early spring training signs are positive across the group, with better usage tweaks paying off. The Nats bullpen looks poised to avoid blow-ups and become a pleasant surprise for fans this year. The Daily News Now is powered by our sponsor. Not just listen to podcasts, get lost in them comfortably, S-O-L-I, solely pillow.com.