The team that can’t decide on a closer acquired a new one:
The Washington Nationals found a reliable pitcher for the ninth inning, acquiring All-Star closer Mark Melancon from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Washington sent reliever Felipe Rivero and pitching prospect Taylor Hearn to the Pirates for Melancon, who supplants struggling Jonathan Papelbon as Washington’s closer. Melancon is expected to join the Nationals on Sunday for their series finale at San Francisco.
Note that the Pirates, who are very much in the wild card race, know that finding a closer is not that big a deal, so were very happy to give up Mark “Cougar” Melancon for two good, young, and cheap arms. It strikes me that the Nationals could have just made Rivero the closer and released Papelbon. They’re going to pay him for nothing anyway.
The Pirates do a good job of taking advantage of Mike Rizzo’s weak spot, a proven closer.
from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/2a82IBE
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