Los Angeles Dodgers

Nationals, Dodgers at the 'top of the Darren O'Day pack'

Published Nov. 23, 2015 12:59 a.m. ET

foxsports

Darren O'Day seems to be in a pretty good spot.

With the Kansas City Royals proving how big a dominant bullpen can impact the success of a team, clubs are putting more value on shut-down relievers than ever before -- and O'Day is the top arm on the market.

While he isn't a traditional power arm, O'Day can slot in the seventh or eighth inning, creating a dominant bridge to a top-end closer. The sidearmer had just a 1.52 ERA in 2015 with 82 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings. It wasn't just a one-season fluke either; his highest ERA in the past four seasons (all with Baltimore) was 2.28. He's been dominant.

According to Jerry Crasnick at ESPN, the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers are the two frontrunners for the 2015 All-Star:

The #Nationals have joined #Dodgers at top of the Darren O'Day pack, source says. Washington due for a bullpen revamp.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) November 22, 2015

The Nats and Dodgers both currently have closers in Jonathan Papelbon and Kenley Jansen, respectively, so it seems they'd be acquiring him as a bullpen piece.

It will be interesting, however, if a team like the Nationals insert O'Day into a closer role, much like the New York Yankees did with Andrew Miller.

Miller had just two career saves prior to the 36 he notched in 2015.

Acquiring O'Day as a closer would mean the Nationals could see Papelbon as expendable. Papelbon is under contract for $11 million for the 2016 season, but his average performance (just seven saves in 22 games with a 3.04 ERA for the Nats) paired with his negative clubhouse impact could inspire his club to seek a replacement.