A SIXTH MAN
As long as the bullpen remains a strength, Martinez will not tax his starting pitchers unless he needs to. Although Scherzer wants 110-120 pitches a night, those grunting fastballs are needed in October.
More from District on Deck
- Washington Nationals Minor League Spotlight: Robert Hassell III
- Washington Nationals Tuesday Q&A
- 3 Free Agents the Nationals Should Gamble On
- A Washington Nationals Christmas Wishlist
- Washington Nationals: Is Seth Lugo Still an Option?
The changes will be subtle. An inning here or there. A starter pinch-hit for in the sixth with a comfortable lead. Yes, sometimes a maximum effort will happen. But, 115 grinding pitch nights against the Philadelphia Phillies will not.
Although Baker handled his starters better in Washington than other stops in his career, the Nats starters still carried a heavy workload. Last year, the bullpen left him no choice until July. This year is different.
If we get into mid-August with the division salted away, expect Martinez to use a six-man rotation. This allows the aces to give full effort while allowing extra rest and cutting out a needless late-season start or two.
It is obvious to anyone watching playoff baseball the last few seasons that bullpens are overused. Arms used to 15-20 pitches in anger are tired and mistakes happen. Yes, playoff baseball is a bullpen battle. The sport evolves.
But, if Martinez has fresher starters, they can spare the pen an inning or two a night. Over the course of a pressure-packed month, it adds up.
Next: Wieters ready to rebound
The thought of A.J. Cole and Edwin Jackson highlighting Labor Day weekend will not give you the warm and fuzzies. An extra inning from Scherzer or Strasburg against a tired bullpen might get a championship. That is why Martinez is here.