The decision makers for the Washington Nationals knew they would likely have to shuffle things around in their bullpen over the course of the long season, and that’s why they opted to field a unit that has relievers with multiple options remaining.
Injuries caused the Nationals to make an initial change to their relief staff after Ken Waldichuk was recommended to undergo Tommy John surgery and Cole Henry suffered a rotator cuff strain. And after backfilling their openings, Washington shifted things around further as they search for consistency in the bullpen.
The most recent move was to option right-hander Paxton Schultz down to Triple-A. Because he pitched three innings on April 17, this decision was likely made to gain a fresh arm since Miles Mikolas was scheduled to start on Sunday. And per an announcement from the team, left-hander Andrew Alvarez was recalled to replace Schultz on the roster.
Andrew Alvarez Is Back With Nationals
Washington Nationals pitcher Andrew Alvarez | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The last time Mikolas was up in the rotation, the Nationals recalled left-hander Mitchell Parker to be used in a piggyback situation. While they didn’t put him in the game immediately after Mikolas was pulled, Parker impressed coming out of the bullpen and remains with the big league club.
It appears like the same strategy is going to be used with Alvarez. After being sent to Triple-A Rochester during spring camp, the lefty has put up a 4.66 ERA across his four starts in the minors with 27 strikeouts and 10 walks across 19 1/3 innings pitched. The 26-year-old turned heads during his time in the majors last season, as he posted a 2.31 ERA in his first five MLB starts.
Now back in the bigs, Alvarez is going to get his first experience coming out of the bullpen on Sunday in relief of PJ Poulin — who is set to open the game — and Mikolas — who will get the bulk of the innings after they pull Poulin.
When Will Paxton Schultz Be Back With Washington?
Washington Nationals pitcher Paxton Schultz | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Because Schultz has been one of the team’s best relievers so far this season, it’s hard to imagine that he’d remain with Rochester for an extended period of time. Claimed off waivers back on Jan. 9 of this year, the right-hander was projected to be a major part of this relief corps. But he was placed on the injured list before the start of the season and wasn’t activated until April 7.
Since then, the 28-year-old has appeared in five games for the Nationals and has produced a 4.50 ERA across eight innings pitched. He’s also struck out seven batters and has only walked one, which is the best K/BB ratio out of any reliever with five-plus outings.
While Schultz hasn’t necessarily been the shutdown man Washington was hoping for when they added him to their roster, he’s been an effective part of the bullpen and should be a key piece for them throughout the rest of the season.
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