"It does not really need to be sugarcoated at this point, but free agency as a fan of the Washington Nationals for the last few years has not been the most fun time. Watching division rivals like the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies spend money to contend year in and year out has become expected, and the Nationals have done the complete opposite."
"The Nationals continued their offseason of smaller moves, as they went out and inked yet another former player that President of Baseball Operations is familiar with from his days on the Boston Red Sox. This time, it comes in the form of lefty reliever Zach Penrod, as the two sides agreed to a minor league deal on Monday evening."
"In 26 games between AAA Worcester, AAA Oklahoma City in the Dodgers' organization, and a rehab appearance in rookie ball, Penrod posted a 7.83 ERA and 2.310 WHIP while allowing 37 walks while striking out just 32 batters. Those are not exactly the kind of numbers you would want to see from a guy who could factor into the team's bullpen equation by the end of the season, but such is the state of the current Nationals."
Free agency has been disappointing for Washington Nationals fans in recent years. Division rivals like the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies consistently spend to contend while the Nationals have taken the opposite approach. Multi-year deals have largely disappeared for the organization, with Trevor Williams the only player to sign beyond one year since 2020. The Nationals continued an offseason of small moves by signing 28-year-old lefty reliever Zach Penrod to a minor-league deal. Penrod has only seven major-league appearances with a 2.25 ERA, 1.750 WHIP, and a 4:3 BB:K ratio. His minor-league performance was poor last season, with a 7.83 ERA, 2.310 WHIP, 37 walks and 32 strikeouts across 26 games. The signing underscores the team's current reliance on low-risk, short-term bullpen options while larger additions remain uncertain.
Read at District on Deck
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