Washington Nationals reliever Enny Romero has been a reliable option in the back-end of the bullpen this year. However, he hasn’t pitched much since returning from the DL.
After being acquired for next to nothing this offseason, Enny Romero emerged as a reliable reliever in the back-end of the Washington Nationals bullpen. He always had a live arm, but was never able to harness his control in the Tampa Bay organization.
Because of this, Romero was routinely shuttled between the minor and major leagues, eventually exhausting his options. Since he was out of options, the Rays elected to trade him to the Nats. With the Nats, he finally harnessed his control and appears to be tapping into his high potential.
Unfortunately for Romero and the Nats, his breakout season was interrupted by a trip to the DL with right forearm tightness. Thankfully, it did not end up to be a severe injury and he has since returned.
Since returning to the Nats on September 1, Romero has not pitched very often. He has four appearances: September 3, 6, 12, and 15. While he has not pitched much, he has pitched as well as he did prior to the injury. In his four post-injury appearances, he has thrown 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits.
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Despite pitching well, Romero has not been called on as much as others lately, which could present an issue moving forward. The important thing is that he has returned to the Nats and is pitching well. However, he must pitch more than he currently is in order to get additional innings under his belt before the games matter in October.
Since returning from the disabled list, Romero has pitched on two day’s rest twice and five day’s rest once. While off-days are more frequent in the postseason than in the regular season, relievers still have to be capable of pitching on consecutive days.
Pitching on consecutive days is difficult for some pitchers, so it would be beneficial for Romero to pitch on consecutive days at least a couple times before the regular season ends. Another benefit of pitching on consecutive days would be to ensure that Romero’s arm strength is where it needs to be.
Earlier this season, Romero emerged as a lockdown reliever in the back-end of the Nats’ bullpen. While the Nats now have Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Madson, and Sean Doolittle, Romero is still an extremely valuable option. His skillset is unique, throwing triple digits as a left-hander, and he is near-unhittable when on.
If Romero is healthy and at his best, he becomes another late-inning option at Dusty Baker‘s disposal. Bullpen roles are less defined in the postseason, so having as many quality relievers as possible can be a huge asset.
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The Nats appear primed and ready to go on a deep postseason run, something they have not done since returning to DC in 2005. Pitching and defense win games in the postseason, and Enny Romero is a huge part of their pitching staff. He is a lethal weapon when at his best, but he must get more innings under his belt in the regular season in order to be at his best come October. Your move, Dusty.