The Nationals announced that reliever Paxton Schultz has been optioned to Triple-A Rochester. A corresponding active roster move has not yet been announced.

Schultz threw 48 pitches in three innings of relief against the Giants yesterday, so the club is likely sending him down to bring up a fresh arm. The 28-year-old has pitched eight innings across five appearances this year. He has recorded seven strikeouts against one walk, but he’s also surrendered two home runs and four earned runs total. His expected stats suggest he’s been lucky to post a 4.50 ERA, although it’s hard to draw conclusions given the small sample size. For what it’s worth, Schultz posted a similar 4.38 ERA in 24 2/3 innings with the Blue Jays last year. His strikeout and walk rates were slightly better than average.

The right-hander was a 14th-round draft pick by the Brewers in 2019. They traded him to the Blue Jays in May 2021, and Schultz spent the next few years climbing the minor-league ladder. Early on, he was mostly used as a starter, but he started making more relief appearances upon reaching Triple-A in 2023. In 51 innings at that level in 2025, Schultz posted a solid 3.31 ERA and allowed less than one home run per nine innings. Having previously led with his four-seamer, he has used his upper-80s cutter 51.5% of the time in 2026, with his four-seamer and changeup acting as complementary pitches.

Schultz’s ceiling is that of a fringe reliever, though he’ll surely get more opportunities with the Nationals this year. The club’s bullpen is arguably the worst in the league. The group has a 6.01 ERA, allowed two home runs per nine, and struck out a league-worst 16.9% of opposing hitters. Ken Waldichuk struggled badly and is now on the 60-day IL facing possible Tommy John surgery. Cole Henry landed on the 15-day IL earlier this week. The club acquired Richard Lovelady from the Mets on Thursday, but the bullpen remains an uninspiring group, with just about everyone struggling with walks, home runs, and overall run prevention. Unsurprisingly, as a result of their pitching woes, the team is off to a 9-12 start in 2026. Given those struggles, there’s no harm in bringing Schultz up later on to eat innings.

Photo courtesy of Rafael Suanes, Imagn Images