Nationals Demote Clayton Beeter as Bullpen Questions Mount Ahead of 2027
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The Washington Nationals ended their seven-game losing streak on Friday with a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
After what has transpired over the past month or so, this was a huge moment for a young team that hasn't had a lot of things go their way. As new owners of a Major League Baseball record for the most blown saves in a single season, it's clear that the bullpen needs to be addressed ahead of 2027. And based on the latest roster move made by the team, it seems like everything is on the table when it comes to who is going to be in that unit next year.
Nationals Option Clayton Beeter to Triple-A Rochester
Following Friday's game, the Nationals announced that right-handed pitcher Clayton Beeter had been optioned to Triple-A Rochester.
This was notable because Beeter was seen as a key part of this relief staff heading into the 2026 season, and he operated as the team's main closer for the majority of the year. But it has been anything but smooth for the righty, as his season-long ERA is up to 4.50 through 50 appearances after his last seven outings have yielded an ERA of 8.59.
Beeter has struggled in the second half of the year. Across 21 appearances following the All-Star break, he's posted an 5.66 ERA. Many of his issues have stemmed from his lack of control and disappearing strikeout stuff, as he issued 13 walks over 20 2/3 innings while he recorded only 16 K's.
Demoting Beeter at this stage of the season is a clear sign that all things are on the table when it comes to how Washington is viewing their bullpen options. There was a lot of hope that the 27-year-old would develop into a back-end weapon for this franchise after they acquired him from the New York Yankees ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. But he's going to have to regain some trust in the minors following this demotion.
The Nationals were open about the fact that the final month of this 2026 campaign is all about evaluations as they get ready for an important offseason full of development. That likely will bleed over into their roster decisions as the front office and coaching staff put their heads together to try and field a more competitive group for next year.
Roles are clearly up for grabs right now. And with just 13 games left in the regular season, it's up to the players currently on the roster to make their case for why they should be penciled into the projected 26-man group heading into spring training.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai