Searching for depth in relief pitching, the Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired pitcher Ryan Madson from the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers send back minor league pitcher Andrew Istler to Washington.
The #Nats have acquired RHP Andrew Istler from the Dodgers in exchange for Ryan Madson.
? // Ben Sandstrom/MiLB.com pic.twitter.com/PESAVwpWh3
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 31, 2018
Ryan Madson Traded to Los Angeles Dodgers
Currently, the Dodgers sit two and a half games out of the second NL Wildcard spot. With Kenley Jansen‘s health in question due to an irregular heartbeat, the Dodgers sought after experienced relief pitcher Madson to fill the void as the closer.
At 38 years old, Madson has a 2-5 record with four saves, a 5.28 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 49 appearances on the mound this season. For his career, the pitcher has 91 saves and a 3.45 ERA over the span of a 13-year career in the MLB. The Dodgers will value Madson’s postseason experience, where he has helped the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals win the World Series. In the postseason, the relief pitcher is 4-1 with a 2.85 ERA in 46 postseason games.
For the Nationals, they are getting a young prospect relief pitcher in Istler. At 25-years old, he has gone 4-4 with a 3.27 ERA in 41 relief appearances this season.
The 38-year old was placed on waivers this week by the Nationals. As a result of the trade, the Dodgers will take on the remaining $1.3 million of Madson’s salary, and the pitcher will become a free agent once this season concludes.
Madson is coming on to the Dodgers after spending time on the disabled list this month. He had been dealing with lumbar nerve irritation, which played a critical role in his poor performance with the Nationals this season. But the pitcher comes to the team at a time when the bullpen needs an upgrade. When Jensen was hurt, the backend of the bullpen played a role in blowing five games in a row, generating an ERA of 4.73 this month. Even with Jensen coming back to the team, he has allowed seven runs in four innings, causing his ERA to jump from 2.15 to 3.09.
Given Madson’s previous postseason experience, the Dodgers hope that he is the solution to get the team back to the playoffs come October.
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