After their recent move to sign righty Max Kranick to a 1-year deal on Tuesday evening, the Washington Nationals needed to make a corresponding move. These can always be tough things, as a guy's career is getting thrown into a total tailspin.
That was exactly the case for righty Jackson Rutledge, who was unfortunately designated for assignment by the Nationals to clear space on the 40-man roster for Kranick. The writing had been on the wall for the 2019 1st round draft pick of the National, but the move became official.
It was a sad case of the Nationals finally pulling the plug on a failed Mike Rizzo draft pick, although Rutledge at least made it to the majors unlike a lot of 1st-round picks selected by the previous regime. However, after his latest audition in the majors for the Nationals, it appeared he was firmly on the chopping block under the new regime.
That latest audition was a 1 appearance outing for the Nationals in which he only completed 1.1 innings in relief, serving up 7 earned runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out just 2. It was seemingly the straw that broke the camel's back for the former starter and JUCO product, but this had been brewing.
For his career in the majors, Rutledge owns a positive 5-3 record, but the numbers behind it have been abysmal. His 6.29 ERA and 1.544 WHIP combined with just an 88:34 K:BB ratio showcases just how severe his struggles were, as did his 21 homers and 72 earned runs allowed in just 103.0 innings.
He came through the Nationals' system as a starter, but after continued ineffectiveness he shifted to the bullpen before last season in an effort to save his career. It worked out initially, as Rutledge was one of the Nationals' best relievers for a decent part of last season before the wheels completely came off.
In fact, Rutledge had an ERA as low as 2.61 on May 22nd of 2025, but it quickly ballooned up to as high as 6.92 by July 13, showing how drastically he had fallen off. Whether it was a combination of injuries, mechanical flaws, or simply just not having the stuff, Rutledge just could never make it work for the Nationals, and will not be on the search for his next opportunity.
As a pitcher with previously high draft pedigree and an imposing 6'8" presence on the mound, Rutledge could easily get another look from a club elsewhere, but it appears as if his tenure within the Nationals' organization is complete at this point.
What do you think of the Nationals designating Jackson Rutledge for assignment? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.
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