The 2026 season has kicked off rather swimmingly in D.C. The Washington Nationals sit at a record of 11-14 through their first 25 games. Although it’s not winning baseball, most fans can agree that this on-field play is better than what was expected before the season.
Offensive Buzzsaw, Bullpen of Irreparable Horrors
One obvious blind spot that’s been exposed in the first stretch of games is the Nats' underwhelming bullpen.
Currently, D.C. ranks 26th overall in bullpen ERA. That simply won’t cut it. When teams aren’t aiming to compete, they can still be fun to watch. The offense has been about as fun as it gets. James Wood, Daylen Lile, Brady House, and flashes from Joey Wiemer have slingshot the Nats to the front half of MLB offenses to this point in the year.
With so much excitement on the offensive side of the ball and such a dreary showing on the mound, one player has been somewhat overshadowed.
Clayton Beeter is Doing his Thing in D.C.
One of the biggest questions before the season came in the form of the Nats’ ninth inning. Even though the season is still young, Clayton Beeter has provided a steady presence in the latter innings.
Beeter’s fastball sits in the high 90s. He duets his heater with a tight slider that grades out in the upper echelon. The success he’s seen as a two-pitch guy has raised a few eyebrows in the first 20-or-so games.
Beeter currently has a 3.48 ERA in 10.1 innings with two saves. Those numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, but in a Nats bullpen that’s been dreadful, he might as well be Trevor Hoffman.
Underlying Numbers Hint at Slight Concern for Beeter
Even though he’s been solid thus far, the analytics don’t necessarily love the recipe that Beeter is cooking. His walk rate is abysmal, ranking in the 7th percentile of the league.
On top of the horrendous walk numbers, Beeter is below-average at inducing whiffs and chase. If he wants to maintain any kind of success, he’ll have to add one of the two: more disciplined control or more swing and miss.
The Nationals' bullpen isn’t where it needs to be. Even with Beeter’s success, it remains one of the worst units in baseball. Fortunately for the D.C. faithful, 2019’s bullpen wasn’t anything to write home about either. D.C. doesn’t need the best bullpen in baseball to be competitive; they just need one or two more arms that can be fairly reliable.
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