The Nationals' Closer Options: A Deep Dive
The Washington Nationals' recent trade for Harry Ford brought them their potential catcher of the future, but it also left an already-thin bullpen without a clear closer for the upcoming season. With a new general manager and a first-time skipper, the team is in a prime position to unearth a stud reliever from their rag-tag mix of arms. So, who could be the closer-in-waiting?
Cole Henry: After multiple years as one of the organization's top pitching prospects, Henry moved to a relief role in 2025. He finished the season with 10 holds and a pair of saves, ranking behind only Ferrer. His fastball sits in the mid-90s with well-above-average arm-side movement, and he has the potential to be a closer. However, he needs to narrow down his arsenal and improve his walk rate.
Clayton Beeter: Beeter has the strikeout numbers of an elite reliever, with a 31.9% strikeout rate across 29 MLB innings over the past two years. He has a straightforward repertoire, just an upper-90s fastball and a hard slider. Beeter is a strong internal option who could rack up 15 saves and be on the move in late July.
PJ Poulin or Konnor Pilkington: Washington only has two left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster, so Poulin and Pilkington are unlikely to be reserved for the 9th inning. A free agent addition of a southpaw would be the only way for one of them to step into the gig. Poulin would be a non-traditional pick, while Pilkington's velocity jumped up in the Nats' bullpen compared to his days as a starter.
Marquis Grissom Jr.: Grissom has steadily worked his way up Washington's system, reaching Triple-A this past season. While he stumbled with Rochester, there's enough of a minor league track record to believe he could make an impact with the big-league club. He posted a 2.21 ERA across two minor league levels in 2024 and earned an invite to MLB Spring Training in 2025.
Brad Lord: Lord has enticing stuff in the bullpen, but the team is bereft of reliable starters outside of MacKenzie Gore. Lord had a strong two-month stretch from mid-May to mid-July with a 2.70 ERA and a 23.5% strikeout rate over 26 relief appearances. However, he doesn't have a clear answer for lefties, which will be a problem as a starter.
