Nationals should utilize an “opener” as way to get starter deeper in games

With a handful of starting pitchers failing to get past the fifth inning, the Washington Nationals should turn to an “opener” in a few of the remaining games.

We could make the joke the Washington Nationals have already implemented an “opener”, since three-fifths of the starting rotation struggles to get out of the fifth inning anyway. We could say it is a good thing we are only playing sixty games, any more and some arms of relievers would start falling off, from overuse.

All jokes aside, and as much of a baseball traditionalist as I am, I would not be opposed of the Nationals turning to an “opener’ system in some of the remaining games on the schedule.

The Tampa Bay Rays have perfected this. They send out a reliever to pitch the first inning, maybe two, then follow him up with a starting pitcher who then proceeds to pitch deep into the game.

Of course, this only works if both the reliever and starting pitcher are effective. On most days, what the Nationals have been using has not been.

Patrick Corbin is the only starting pitcher to have pitched at least five innings in all his starts this year. Even Max Scherzer failed to go five innings in one of his outings. We’ve chronicled how his pitch count gets in the way of him pitching deep into games.

Those two can pitch as usual on their remaining days. Even though Anibal Sanchez has struggled as well, he might as well get the ball in the first inning on his days too.

For Austin Voth and Erick Fedde, who have been given the opportunity to showcase their talents, the team should think of running an “opener” to the mound to start the game.

Kyle Finnegan has proven he can pitch two innings at a time. Kyle McGowin and James Bourque could slot into this position to give you an inning.

The team needs to try something. Running the same guys out and having them fail to get out of the fourth inning has gotten tiring, mentally and for the relievers, physically.

With 2020 being a wash, collect some data on utilizing an “opener”, to determine if this strategy can be employed when the games are meaningful again.