The Nationals disclosed that they have taken on the contract of a left-handed pitcher.
Colin Poche
Last month, the seasoned relief pitcher inked a minor-league contract with Washington, and he will now join the squad for their Opening Day roster.
Poche has played in four of the past six Major League Baseball seasons; he missed all of the 2020-21 seasons due to Tommy John surgery. Upon returning after this extended break, he performed reasonably well, maintaining an ERA of 3.27 across 156 2/3 innings with the Rays’ relief corps during the 2022-24 seasons. However, his strikeout percentage dropped progressively each year, reaching just 21.6% last year. Additionally, recurring issues with his back and shoulders landed him on the injured list multiple times, reducing his total pitching time to only 37 1/3 innings throughout his final campaign in Tampa Bay.
The Rays decided not to offer Poche a contract rather than pay him.
projected
A $3.4 million salary was set for his last year of arbitration eligibility. While the specifics of his contract with Washington haven’t been disclosed, he has secured a fixed salary due to making the squad.
Jose A. Ferrer
The lone other left-handed pitcher set to join the Nats’ bullpen means there was room for Poche to become the team’s second lefty reliever. Despite his less-than-stellar performance this spring—his ERA stands at 7.71 over 4 2/3 innings—he has the chance to fill this spot. Other southpaw pitchers within the organization include several candidates from the 40-man roster.
MacKenzie Gore
and
Mitchell Parker
will form part of the starting rotation, and on Friday, the Nationals sent down
Shinnosuke Ogasawara
and
DJ Herz
To Triple-A, where they will serve as starters for backup purposes.
Konnor Pilkington
is also part of the organization with a minor league contract, but it makes sense that Washington could consider adding one or more left-handed pitchers as other teams finalize their rosters.
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