The Washington Nationals added another painful chapter to a season-long bullpen mess Tuesday night in San Diego, and this one came with a place in the record book. Their 38th blown save of the year matched the kind of collapse that has defined too many late innings, and it pushed them past the previous MLB mark set by the 2024 Chicago White Sox.
Washington had a 4-1 lead entering the eighth, then watched it disappear. Lefty Jared Simpson, back in the majors just one week after his debut and pitching in a high-leverage spot in front of a sold-out crowd, walked all three batters he faced.
That handed the mess to Erik Tolman, who was charged with the blown save after Manny Machado punched a tying single up the middle. Tolman lunged at Machado’s chopper, but the ball went past his head and rolled into the outfield.
The Padres finished off the Nationals in a 5-4 loss.
For Washington, it was the third blown save in four games. The club also gave away late leads to the Los Angeles Dodgers twice over the weekend. And while the bullpen has gotten deeper as the season has gone on, it still ranks among the least effective groups in the sport.
Nationals relievers have allowed more walks and home runs than any other team’s bullpen. In FanGraphs’ high-leverage situations, they own an 11.51 ERA. They’ve also given up more than twice as many runs in the eighth inning and beyond as the Padres, who have built their roster in the exact opposite way.
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Nationals Just Got A Key Arm Back With Big Questions Ahead
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The timing, though, still leaves plenty unsettled. Early had initially been lined up for a Low-A playoff appearance before the Nationals shifted him to the Bridge League to better manage how much he throws, a small but telling sign of how carefully they are handling him now. Even with the setback in the rearview, there remains real uncertainty about whether he will make it to the majors before seasons end, and the most optimistic path still looks limited. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Got A Notable Roster Hint In Tuesdays Notes
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There was also a small roster note tucked into Tuesdays updates that stood out to Nationals followers, especially with the big league club always looking for help from within. The move adds another arm to keep an eye on, and it comes as the organizations affiliates continue to sort out late-season roles, momentum and possible next steps with the year winding down. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals May Have Found A Bullpen Piece Fans Didn't See Coming
The Nationals added a quietly intriguing bullpen name just before the trade deadline, sending outfielder Christian Franklin to Baltimore in a deal for reliever Joe Glassey. The move did not land with the kind of fanfare that usually follows a late-July swap, but Glassey has already started to make his case in the organization, moving from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Rochester while putting together a string of scoreless appearances.
For a Washington club still sorting through the edges of its relief picture, that kind of quick rise matters. Glasseys arsenal has drawn enough attention to keep him on the radar, and the early returns suggest the Nationals may have found a pitcher who can push for real bullpen consideration sooner rather than later, even if the next step in his path is still the part everyone wants to see play out. [Read more 🡒]