After the signing of Jorge Lopez, potentially to be the Nationals closer, I have to admit I started thinking in a negative light. With Hunter Harvey, Dylan Floro, Robert Garcia, and more than likely Kyle Finnegan gone, our bullpen is looking, bad... and I mean really bad.
There have been some terrible relief pitchers to wear a Nationals uniform. Sam Clay, Trevor Rosenthal, Matt Grace, Trevor Gott, and Joe Blanton are some of the first coming to mind, with more recent players like Amos Willingham making a case for the top of that list.
Jorge Lopez has decent stuff, but an inability to miss bate, and of course, potential attitude issues that are valid to worry about. Thinking in a negative light had me reflecting on the past, to sift through who would be the worst relief pitcher in Nationals history. After having some time to think, he might not have been the most obvious candidate, but he is the correct one. The man who single-handily divided the clubhouse and put the official nail in former manager Matt Williams's coffin, Johnathan Papelbon.
For some reason, GM Mike Rizzo has still not realized that a strong bullpen was important for a good team, and the 2019 World Series Champion team did not give that mindset any favors. The 2019 Nationals bullpen was the worst bullpen according to ERA in modern history to even make the playoffs, let alone win the World Series. The most notable relief bust was the Trevor Rosenthal signing, with Rosenthal appearing in 12 games and finishing with a 22.74 ERA after signing a 2-year contract coming off Tommy John surgery and battling with the yips. Matt Grace somehow appeared in 178 games with little success in Washington, and Jason Bergmann appeared in 155 games and was known for his epic collapses. With all this being said, the guy with a 3.84 ERA and 26 saves as a National takes the cake. The one and only Jonathan Papelbon.
Papelbon holds a career 2.44 ERA, and he is known for his heroics in Boston in the playoffs. He is one of the better closers of the 21st century, and after a solid year in Philadelphia, Mike Rizzo sent the Phillies' future starter Nick Pivetta for him. Papelbon arrived in Washington and epitomized the miserable 2015 season that we were having, capped off with the infamous fight with Bryce Harper in the dugout.
Who was cockier on the Nationals: Jonathan Papelbon or Bryce Harper?@TheRealJPap58 recalled their dugout fight and how he apologized afterwards 😅
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) October 12, 2023
NEW Legends Territory ▶️ https://t.co/hzctB2Lhl6 pic.twitter.com/vfvS5HcJWv
From that moment forward, Matt Williams was losing his job, and the Nationals were stuck with Papelbon and his contract heading into 2016. Not only was Papelbon now ostracized in the locker room, but he also put up bad numbers in 2016. He appeared in 37 games and compiled a 4.37 ERA with 14 walks in 35 innings. After an injury in July, the Nationals traded for Mark Melancon and removed Papelbon from the closer's role. In August Papelbon was released, and the Nationals had to eat the rest of the $3.3 million dollars they owed him after watching him pitch to his career-high 4.37 ERA.
Looking back on the incident, I am going to put the villain cap on and agree with Papelbon here. Bryce was jogging on a ball he should not have, on an uber-talented Nationals team that was underperforming.
Papelbon will always be remembered in my mind for the incident, and fighting my favorite player in baseball at the team, gaining the crown for the worst reliever to ever put on a Nationals uniform.