The bullpen has not been a strength of the Washington Nationals this season.
With an ERA of 5.02 and 25 blown saves that is on pace to shatter the major league record, the relief issues for the Nationals could be a reason why this young team does not make the playoffs despite having the best offense in the league at this point in the year.
Now, Washington has been forced to make some changes due to injury, as the team announced that left-handed pitchers Mitchell Parker and Richard Lovelady were placed on the 15-day injured list ahead of the start of their series against the Boston Red Sox due to elbow inflammation and a triceps strain, respectively. Left-hander Carson Palmquist and right-hander Riley Cornelio were recalled as the corresponding moves.
Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Parker, who was moved into the bullpen this season after being a starter for the majority of his career, said his elbow tightened up during the last few pitches of his appearance on Sunday. After further evaluation, he was diagnosed with elbow inflammation and is set to undergo an MRI to see if there's any other damage.
The lefty has had an ERA of 6.58 across 22 appearances this year. He's struggled in June with an ERA of 10.13 over nine outings, as he hasn't been able to flourish in this new role after he had a disastrous showing last season as a starter.
As for Lovelady, he was a key part of the bullpen's resurgence during the latter stages of May. Manager Blake Butera utilized him as both an opener and as a high-leverage arm, but he's cooled off across his last seven appearances, with a 10.80 ERA.
The hope is that both haven't suffered long-term injuries so they can get healthy and return at some point this season.
Washington Nationals pitcher Riley Cornelio | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
On the other end of the spectrum, Palmquist and Cornelio now have an opportunity to secure long-term spots for themselves on this roster now that they have been recalled to the major league squad.
Palmquist, who was acquired in a trade with the Colorado Rockies on May 25, had a stellar debut for the team back on June 24 when he gave up just one run on two hits across 3 1/3 innings pitched with three strikeouts and one walk. Because he also has starting experience, he can step into the long relief role that was left open by Parker's injury. And if he can keep performing the way he did during his first outing for the Nationals, then he could potentially remain in The Show for the long haul.
Cornelio has only made three big league appearances in his career, with all of them coming this season. But despite the 6.48 ERA he owns, it seems like the 26-year-old has impressed some people within the organization. And now that he's back in the bigs, this could be his opportunity to prove why he should remain there going forward.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/nationals/onsi as Nationals Place Two Key Relievers on Injured List as Bullpen Problems Continue .
