The Nationals will enter 2025 with a new closer after Kyle Finnegan was non-tendered. The question is who it will be. Since the relief market is not yet developed, there are many external options available. However, there are already some interesting candidates on the roster that will be considered going forward.
free agent options
Most of the best free agent closers are still on the market, so if the Nationals want to acquire a veteran closer with experience, they have a chance to jump on it. Tanner Scott is the top reliever on the market, but it’s hard to imagine the Nationals spending top-of-the-market money on a closer considering their other more pressing needs. However, there are also many quality high leverage arms that don’t cost a fortune.
My favorite reliever is Jose Leclerc, formerly of the Texas Rangers. Leclerc is particularly interesting as he is relatively young, has experience closing, and has the potential to bounce back. At 31 years old, Leclerc is on the younger side of the free agent reliever spectrum. This gives him a multi-year solution instead of a one-year gap. Although he hasn’t been the main closer in the regular season in recent years, he was the Rangers’ closer in the World Series, making big outs when the team needed it most.
He also has the ability to strike out, stir up He hit 31.2% of batters in his career and 30.9% last season. Last season, he walked batters at a rate of over 11%, but his questionable control didn’t prevent him from being an effective reliever. He could be acquired at a discount after posting a 4.32 ERA last season. Leclerc’s improved numbers suggest a recovery, with the right-hander posting a 3.48 FIP and 3.57 xERA. This should be an opportunity for Mike Rizzo to give it his all.
In-house solution
If the Nationals decide not to bring in a closer, there are some interesting options within the organization. The two most interesting options to me are the southpaw pair Jose Ferrer and Robert Garcia.
Garcia was a highly analytical player last season, with all the advanced numbers pointing to him being an elite relief pitcher. he Posted 2.38 FIP, 2.52 xERA, and 2.77 xFIP. Garcia also struck out elite batters at 11.31 per nine innings, but walked only 2.41 per nine innings. Although it looks like a closer of the future, his actual goal prevention didn’t match these advanced metrics. He posted a 4.22 ERA, but was very inconsistent. The thing that scares me the most about Garcia is him. conflict In high leverage situations. Garcia had an advantage in low-leverage situations, but fell apart in high-leverage situations. Those stats can be shaky, but every time coach Davey Martinez threw him into big spots last year, Garcia looked noticeably worse.
My favorite inside option is 24-year-old Jose Ferrer. He has good speed and looked dominant at times in the second half after missing the first half with an injury. Despite his fastball averaging 98 mph, Ferrer isn’t a strikeout player, much to the fan’s delight. 19.4% of the batter. But he’s good at producing ground balls. His 57.3 GB% is one of the best in baseball. 27th out of 517 A pitcher who faces at least 100 batters. This limits the damage a batter can do and prevents extra base hits. At his best, Ferrer can look like former Orioles closer Zach Britton, who also relied on power sinkers. With a huge jump in control and only walking batters at a 4.7% rate, Ferrer looks like a full-fledged high-leverage arm.
Non-tendering a fan favorite like Finnegan wasn’t a popular move, but it gave the Nationals flexibility and an opportunity to chase higher upside. Finnegan has been a steady presence at the back end of the bullpen, but he’s a player who could be an upgrade. The Nationals can do just that this offseason.
