District On Deck
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Washington Nationals: 3 back end pitchers for the rotation

By James Simmons

Carlos Martinez #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Colorado Rockies during a game at Coors Field on July 4, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Carlos Martinez #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Colorado Rockies during a game at Coors Field on July 4, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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The Nationals are in the market for some starting pitching.
Tanner Roark #14 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the first inning at Globe Life Field on April 06, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Tanner Roark

Remember this guy? He won 64 games in a Nationals uniform, and earned Cy Young votes after his 16 win season in 2016. Tanner Roark pitched 210 innings that year with a WHIP of 1.17. Well, he has been mediocre to terrible since. Why would the Nats want him back then?

Roark pitched at least 180 innings four times during his time in DC. He can chew up innings from the back end of the rotation.  Yes, Roark is three years removed from throwing that many innings, though in 2021, the Nationals had one pitcher (Patrick Corbin) throw more than 135 innings. Nationals relievers were overused last year. Roark can help save innings for the bullpen.

Towards the end of the 2021 season, Sean Nolin was getting starts. Roark has a better track record and a history in Washington. Bring him in for a look and see what he can do getting back to the place he experienced the most success of his big league career.

Roark can be had on a minor league contract, and after he makes the team out of camp, have a bearded bobble head giveaway the second month of the season. Try to soak as many innings out of that arm, and play to the nostalgic Nationals fans to get them in the seats for his starts.

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