Washington Nationals Invite Matt Belisle To Spring Training

The Nats have added another reliever as they signed Matt Belisle to a minor league deal

The Washington Nationals released their full list of non-roster invitees on Monday afternoon, but they added one more reliever to that list tonight before pitchers and catchers officially report tomorrow. The Nats have reportedly signed right-handed reliever Matt Belisle to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Belisle played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015:

The #Nats have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training with RHP Matt Belisle.
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) February 18, 2016

During his time with the Cardinals, Belisle went 1-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 34 games. While he had four walks per nine innings (second highest of his career), he did have 6.7 strikeouts per nine (fifth highest total of his career). He was on the disabled list from June 30-September 13 last year because of right elbow inflammation. In 17 road games, he had an ERA of 4.11, but he had a 1.47 ERA in 17 appearances at Busch Stadium.

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Belisle, who was taken by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 1998 MLB Draft, did not make his Major League debut till 2003 when he was traded to the Reds. He played one season under Dusty Baker back in 2008. He went 1-4 with a 7.28 ERA in six relief appearances before having surgery to repair a torn ACL in August of that season.

In his time with the Reds, Belisle was a starting pitcher at one point. In 2007, he made 30 starts and went 8-9 with a 5.32 ERA. However, he has been mainly a reliever during his 11-year career. Back in 2012, he made 80 appearances for the Colorado Rockies (led the league). In the year prior, he went 10-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 74 games.

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