Shawn Kelley, Blake Treinen and Koda Glover. Those three players are currently the Washington Nationals best options at closer for the 2017 season.
Kelley has been in the MLB for the past eight seasons appearing in 356 games and 342.1 innings. He holds a 3.50 ERA with a 403/108 K/BB ratio. Kelley has registered 11 career saves.
Treinen has played in 148 games and 185.1 innings in his three years at the MLB level. He holds a career 2.91 ERA and a 158/76 K/BB ratio. Treinen has one career save.
Glover appeared in 19 major league games and 19.2 innings in 2016. He pitched to a 5.03 ERA and a 16/7 K/BB ratio. In 59 minor league games and 86 innings, Glover pitched to a 2.09 ERA with a 104/16 K/BB ratio. He holds 13 career saves, all at the minor league level.
The Washington Nationals are one of the favorites to win the National League in 2017. They have a dominant offense featuring Daniel Murphy, Adam Eaton, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and others. Coupled with a pitching rotation that contains Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Tanner Roark, the Nationals could realistically compete with the Cubs for the NL pennant.
However even with a dominant rotation/lineup, the Nats cannot succeed with a lights-out closer. Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman proved how important elite relief pitching was during the Indians and Cubs playoffs runs.
If the Nats aren’t able to have atleast one dominant relief pitcher, they will struggle come playoff time. It’s much easier for Dusty Baker to send out a proven closer who knows how to handle the ninth, rather than the aforementioned three.
Without that proven closer on the roster, the Nationals will either need to add one through free agency or the trade market.
In terms of free agency, only Joe Blanton and potentially Luke Hochevar stand as potential additions for the club. But Blanton only has two career saves with Hochevar holding three.
At this stage of the game there isn’t much available in terms of relief pitching on the free agent market. It appears as if the Nationals best shot at landing a lights-out closer is via trade. If the Nationals do choose to go that route, White Sox closer David Robertson is likely their best option.
Robertson has been in the MLB for the past nine seasons appearing in 524 games and 519 innings. He holds a career 2.97 ERA with a 685/211 K/BB ratio. Robertson has converted 118 career saves including atleast 34 the past three seasons.
The White Sox closer is also on a team-friendly contract earning $25 million over the next two seasons. The Nationals were bidders for all three of Mark Melancon, Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman. Landing Robertson gives Washington the lights-out closer they desire at a much lesser price.
Chicago and Washington have had trade talks for Robertson throughout the offseason. At one point USA Today’s Bob Nightengale even reported that a deal was close. But even with both teams interested in getting a deal done, Robertson remains on the White Sox.
There’s a good chance more teams are interested in Robertson. He’s a talented closer on a cheap contract. However the Nationals have looked like the favorites for most of the offseason and will realistically remain the favorites until a deal is made.
The White Sox want to trade him and the Nationals covet him, but what will it take for Washington to land David Robertson?
