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Washington Nationals: three players recently acquired who didn’t pan out

By James Simmons

JUPITER, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Hunter Strickland #60 of the Washington Nationals pitches during a Grapefruit League spring training game against the St Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on February 25, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. The Nationals defeated the Cardinals 9-6. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
JUPITER, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Hunter Strickland #60 of the Washington Nationals pitches during a Grapefruit League spring training game against the St Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on February 25, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. The Nationals defeated the Cardinals 9-6. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Washington Nationals reliever Roenis Elias can't stay healthy.
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 30: Roenis Elias #29 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on August 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

Roenis Elias

Acquired in the same trade with the Seattle Mariners which brought Hunter Strickland to town, Roenis Elias was brought in to stabilize the bullpen in 2019.

Elias pitched in four regular season games for the Nationals. He failed to hold a lead in one of them, allowing inherited runners to score, in what would turn into a Nationals loss. He allowed runs in two of the other three games he participated in.

This was the extent of the Elias contributions to the 2019 World Series team.

In his debut game, he was left in to hit and told not to swing the bat. He chopped one up the middle and pulled up lame running to first base. A hamstring injury would cost him three weeks.

The Nationals decided to put him on the NLCS roster, though he was not called upon to pitch. He was replaced on the World Series roster.

Entering the 2020 season, the hope was for Elias to be a big part of the bullpen. Some thought he could audition for a late inning-high leverage pitcher.

Ultimately he was placed on the 60-day injured list with a flexor strain in his left elbow.

Thankfully he is under team control in 2021 and has time to take his name off this list. As of now, Roenis Elias has not panned out for the Washington Nationals.

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