The Nationals’ bullpen has become the kind of problem that overshadows everything else, and Friday’s move made that even harder to ignore.
After Washington snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels, the club announced that right-handed reliever Clayton Beeter had been optioned to Triple-A Rochester. It was a significant decision, especially given how much the team had leaned on him earlier in the year.
Beeter entered the season viewed as an important piece of the relief group and spent most of 2026 working as the team’s primary closer. But the results have slid badly. His ERA sits at 4.50 over 50 appearances, and his last seven outings have been rough enough to push that stretch ERA to 8.59.
The second half has been particularly unforgiving. In 21 appearances since the All-Star break, Beeter has posted a 5.66 ERA, with the biggest issues coming from shaky command and a drop in strikeout production. Over 20 2/3 innings, he walked 13 and struck out 16.
That’s a sharp turn for a pitcher the Nationals hoped could grow into a late-inning weapon after acquiring him from the New York Yankees ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. Instead, he’ll now try to work his way back into the picture in the minors.
The timing of the move fits with how Washington is approaching the final month of the 2026 season. The Nationals have made it clear this stretch is about evaluation as they prepare for an important offseason centered on development.
With 13 games left in the regular season, the bullpen picture is wide open. Washington’s latest roster decision only reinforces that every spot is up for grabs as the team sorts out who belongs in the projected 26-man group heading into spring training.
In Other News...
Nationals Depth Arms Are Creating A Late-Season Question
Late in the season, the Nationals lower-level pitching inventory is still offering small reminders that the organization has more than one arm worth tracking. At Rochester, DJ Herz turned in another solid outing, working 4 innings and limiting the damage to one run as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre came away with a 5-3 win. In the same game, Rochester also got a look at Cayden Wallaces power, with his 11th homer of the year providing one of the more notable swings of the day.
The more interesting tension for Washington is how those depth arms are stacking up in the system at once. New Hampshire fell 2-1 in 10 innings after a walk-off two-run homer, but the game had been shaped earlier by scoreless work from Yoel Tejada Jr. and Alex Clemmey before Thomas Schultz entered late and the inning unraveled. For a club watching closely for rotation help beyond the obvious names, those mixed results only sharpen the question of who is pushing closest to the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Lottery Odds Could Shape Their Next Big Roster Break
The MLB draft lottery has already changed how the Nationals think about finishing at the bottom of the standings. Instead of the old worst-record-first setup, the three worst teams now share equal odds at the top pick, and Washington has already lived through the volatility of that system, going second in 2023 before landing the first pick in 2025. For a franchise trying to rebuild through the draft, the difference between a favorable bounce and a modest slide can shape the next wave of talent.
Looking ahead to 2027, the lottery picture is already starting to take shape, with some clubs removed from the pool because of market size or recent top selections. The Nationals are part of that conversation again, and the broader appeal is obvious: one draw can alter the course of an entire roster plan, especially when the next class is still coming into focus and the early pecking order remains fluid. [Read more 🡒]
Nats Push For Series Win As Pitching Plans Suddenly Get Interesting
A win in the previous game left Washington with a chance to take the series, and the pitching picture around it has changed quickly. Andrew Alvarez is set to start as the left-hander gets the ball, while the clubs offense has continued to do enough to keep the Nationals in a good spot, with a positive run differential and a top-three ranking in MLB in runs scored this season.
The roster churn has been part of the story, too, with the Nationals making several moves as they try to keep the staff moving in the right direction. Harry Ford is dealing with an injury concern but avoided an injured-list stint, and the clubs latest mix of arms now gives the next game a little more intrigue than it had a day ago. [Read more 🡒]