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The Washington Nationals announced an under-the-radar trade on Thursday morning. The team acquired RHP David Carpenter from the New York Yankees in exchange for minor league infielder Tony Renda. Although Carpenter has struggled in 2015 with the Yankees, posting a 4.82 ERA in 18.2 innings, he has experience pitching late in games and was wonderful for the Atlanta Braves in 2013-14. It’s a low-risk, high-reward move for the Nationals, and it could be the turning point for the team in their pursuit for a World Series title in 2015.
The Nationals saw a lot of Carpenter when he was with the Braves, and I’m sure a lot of hitters can tell you it’s not an easy at-bat. He throws a mid-90s fastball that has a lot of sink, and he pairs that with a nasty slider which is his strikeout pitch. Carpenter posted a 1.78 ERA in 65.2 innings in 2013 and a 3.54 ERA in 61 innings in 2014 while with Atlanta. It’s possible that the move back to the National League will help Carpenter, as he’s more familiar with the hitters in the senior circuit.
It’s been a rough year for the Nationals’ bullpen. The team’s bullpen ERA currently sits at 3.65, which is 19th in MLB. The biggest issue, though, has been bridging the gap between the starting pitchers and closer Drew Storen. Manager Matt Williams has given everybody an opportunity to to take the setup role by the horns and run with it, but no matter who he’s put in there, every single player has faltered. The team is tied for fifth in MLB with nine blown saves, and with a team as talented as the Nationals, that can’t happen.
Expect Carpenter to get an extended look in the eighth inning right off the bat. He’s going to be given every opportunity to be that guy, and I believe he will excel in that role. If he can lock down the eighth inning, things will get a lot simpler for Williams, who would only have to get an inning or so out of the rest of the bullpen on most nights.
General manager Mike Rizzo gets an A+ for this move. Renda is a grinder and could be a solid bench player at the major league level, but the Nationals have plenty of those in their system. With 2015 being a World Series or bust year, it’s important for Rizzo to fill the obvious holes and get the team best prepared for a playoff run down the stretch. The fact that he filled such a glaring need without having to give up a top prospect is impressive. Improving the present team without affecting the future is the ultimate goal of the GM, and Rizzo accomplished that with this trade.
Jason Fletcher is a MLB Featured Writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google+.
