After a three-way race this spring, the Washington Nationals have somewhat surprisingly named Blake Treinen their closer to begin the year.
Over the weekend, Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker said the team had picked a closer but would not reveal the choice until the lucky candidate had been informed. It's a secret no longer, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports that right-hander Blake Treinen will be the closer to start the season.
The decision is a bit surprising, as Shawn Kelley seemed like the safe choice to get the nod. He notched seven saves last year, primarily in the time between Jonathan Papelbon losing the ninth-inning job and the trade acquisition of Mark Melancon. Overall, Kelley posted a 2.64 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 12.4 K/9 in 58 innings.
Treinen was no slouch either, though. He logged 67 frames of work, turning in a 2.28 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 8.5 K/9. He earned his first career save on July 27 against the Indians, the Nationals hope he'll add plenty to the total in 2017.
While Kelley's higher strikeout rate and lower walk rate (1.7 BB/9 vs. Treinen's 4.2) might make him appear better-suited to the closer's role, there are a few reasons that could have pushed the Nats toward Treinen.
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Kelley has undergone two Tommy John surgeries, and the soon-to-be 33-year-old has racked up his fair share of innings over the last several seasons. There have been some questions in the past concerning his ability to pitch on consecutive days. In the 28-year-old Treinen, Washington likely sees a younger, fresher arm that could hold up better under the stress of being a closer.
Of course, you could argue that regardless of whether Treinen or Kelley got the job to start the season, youngster Koda Glover is a legitimate threat to take control of the ninth inning at some point in the campaign. The righty, who turns 24 next month, is MLB.com's #9-ranked Nationals prospect. He's earned praise for his lethal slider and mid-90s fastball.
Glover had a forgettable 19-game cameo with the Nats last year, but his minor league numbers were impressive: 2.25 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 over 56 innings between the High-A, Double-A and Triple-A levels. In 11.1 frames this spring, he's produced a 3.97 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 13 strikeouts.
Whoever holds the closer's reins for the Nationals in 2017 is going to have high expectations to meet. Washington is considered the early favorite to win the NL East again, but their ambitions don't end there. After a couple of early exits in recent years, they aim to advance deeper into October baseball. Having a reliable closer will be a major factor in determining their success.
Treinen will get his chance to prove he's that guy, but if he struggles and Glover continues to turn heads, don't be surprised to see a change. Of course, another midseason trade to nab an established closer can't be ruled out either.
