Washington Nationals Could Have In-House Option To Bridge Gap to Kyle Finnegan

Outside of Kyle Finnegan, the Washington Nationals bullpen is unsettled heading into the offseason.

Sep 15, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Jose Ferrer (47) throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. / Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

This upcoming offseason is going to be an important one for the Washington Nationals.

With so much money coming off the books, there is an expectation that general manager Mike Rizzo will be spending some money. There are several holes on the roster that need to be filled if the team is going to take that next step in their rebuild.

A lot has been made about the needs in the lineup, and rightfully so.

The Nationals are lacking some pop in the middle of their order, a bonafide home run hitter. It is the one thing their young core is seemingly lacking currently but can be supplemented with a free agent addition or two.

First base, third base and catcher seem to be the areas people discuss as the most in need of an upgrade. Another under-the-radar area that requires an upgrade is the bullpen.

Washington traded Hunter Harvey to the Kansas City Royals and Dylan Floro to the Arizona Diamondbacks this season as they were clear-cut sellers ahead of the deadline. Closer Kyle Finnegan survived the purge and is the only player on the roster projected to have a salary of more than $5 million in 2025.

He was very good this season with 38 saves, but the options to get the ball to him late in games are lacking. Derrick Law is one player Dave Martinez trusts, but he could use some help out of the bullpen.

Alas, there is an in-house option that Rizzo mentioned as an emerging setup man; lefty Jose A. Ferrer. Sidelined for the first 97 games of the season, he quickly rose in the pecking order, cementing a late-game role for the Nationals.

“He's got the stuff to pitch at the end of the games,” said Rizzo. “[Manager Dave Martinez] tested the waters in some leverage situations, and he's a guy that we're going to count on in the future to pitch [in] late-inning [situations]. … You've heard me say that 27th out is the hardest out to get, and until you're thrown in a fire and tested, you have to get the experience in doing that.”

With the right plan in place, Washington could build a succession going from Finnegan, who is 32, to the 24-year-old Ferrer down the road.

In 31 appearances in 2024, he pitched 32 innings with 25 strikeouts and only six walks. His ERA was a strong 3.38 and he recorded a FIP of 2.76.