Washington Nationals: 5 candidates to fill final rotation spot
By Drew Douglas
Erick Fedde
When the Nats traded away Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Dane Dunning to acquire Adam Eaton last off-season, they did so with the confidence that Erick Fedde would eventually blossom into a major league starter.
Fedde became the Nats’ top pitching prospect, and got his first shot in the big leagues in 2017. Although it did not end the way he wanted it to, the experience he had with the Nats will be beneficial moving forward.
In three starts, Fedde pitched to a 9.39 ERA. This is not a great stat, but it is a small sample size and two of his three starts came against playoff teams (the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs). Those are tough lineups for any pitcher to navigate, but especially a pitcher making the first two starts of his major league career.
After his cup of coffee, Fedde was shut down for the season due to a forearm strain. Shutting him down was a great decision, especially considering his age and injury history.
If Fedde enters 2018 in the Nats’ rotation, he may not be able to finish the season. The Nats have a history of easing young pitchers back from Tommy John Surgery, e.g., Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.
Fedde also ended up throwing less innings in 2017 than he did in 2016 due to various injuries. Between his prior Tommy John surgery and his lack of innings in 2017, he will likely have an innings limit in 2018.
If the Nats decide that Fedde will fill the hole in the rotation, they must have another starter who can take over if Fedde’s season ends early. While there could definitely be better candidates, Fedde is not a bad in-house option.