The Washington Nationals are desperate to find answers in their bullpen.
They are now tied for the major league record with the most blown saves in a single season. After a year where they finished dead last in reliever ERA (5.59), they are second-to-last this season (5.09). For the Nationals to get to where they need to go, upgrading their relief staff is a must before 2027.
Until then, Washington will try to find a way to get this unit to the finish line of the campaign, and that could include giving a struggling veteran arm a second chance in the final stages of the season.
Washington Nationals pitcher Max Kranick | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Nationals announced that right-handed reliever Max Kranick cleared waivers after he was designated for assignment on Sept. 4 . And because he went unclaimed, that allowed Washington to hold onto him by outrighting him to Triple-A Rochester.
Kranick, who was signed to a major league deal in May despite the fact that he was still recovering from flexor tendon surgery that caused him to miss half of the 2025 campaign, was viewed as someone who could provide stability to this bullpen unit. He posted a 3.65 ERA and an ERA+ of 112 across 24 outings and 37 innings with the New York Mets last year before he got hurt, and despite that limited sample size -- which has mainly been due to injuries he's suffered -- the hope was that he would be an impactful bullpen arm for Washington.
That didn't turn out to be the case, though.
The righty gave up 19 earned runs on 27 hits across 18 1/3 innings pitched during his 17 outings for the Nationals this season. That put his ERA at 9.33. There wasn't much that stood out on the positive side of things, as his 11.7% strikeout rate was in the third percentile. He combined that with a walk rate of 13.8% and a whiff rate of 23.8%, both of which are in the 10th and 39th percentiles, respectively.
However, there's a chance that Kranick could make his way back on the big league mound for the Nationals at some point after he remained with the organization. Right-hander Orlando Ribalta was recently placed on the injured list with an ominous-sounding update . And there's a good chance he doesn't pitch again this season for Washington.
So, as the Nationals try to get their bullpen to the finish line this year, don't be surprised if Kranick gets another opportunity before the 2026 season comes to and end.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/nationals/onsi as Nationals Hold Onto Veteran Reliever After He Cleared Waivers .
