The Nationals have signed right-hander Sean O’Sullivan to a minor league contract, according to a team announcement.
The 29-year-old O’Sullivan is returning from Korea, where he opened the season with the Nexen Heroes of the hitter-friendly KBO and allowed 14 earned runs on 17 hits in just eight innings. O’Sullivan hasn’t been anywhere near that woeful stateside, though his numbers in the majors and at Triple-A still aren’t great. He most recently appeared in the big leagues last season with the Red Sox, logging five appearances and four starts. O’Sullivan pitched to a 6.75 ERA, with 5.48 K/9, 2.53 BB/9 and a 36.5 percent ground-ball rate, in 21 1/3 innings with Boston. The journeyman’s career numbers aren’t all that different, as O’Sullivan has logged a 6.01 ERA, 4.39 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 40.1 grounder mark during a 323 2/3-inning span in which he has also seen action with the Angels, Royals, Padres and Phillies.
As a Triple-A hurler, O’Sullivan owns a passable 4.25 ERA and strikeout and walk rates of 6.2 and 2.7, respectively, in 796 1/3 frames.
More dumpster dipping Mike Rizzo!
Diamond in the rough. Veterans with major league experience.
Padres and Phillies should have been fighting over the right to sign Sean O’Sullivan. I can’t fathom what the Nats think they could use him for.
Why? Send him back home ?
Not a fan of Sean he is awful
He’s awful? Seriously?
And the Padres and Phillies, they’re going after the World Series trophy this year?
I think so
He is good for eating innings but nothing else
I have no idea how guys like him, Kyle Kendrick, and some of these other journeymen keep getting signed. Before you say it’s a minor league deal, they are being used as insurance and simply cannot get outs vs major league hitters. There has to be better options than these same guys who get pounded every appearance.
They’re fairly cheap and, in case of an injury, they can cross their fingers and hope he gives them 4 or 5 innings and maybe they won’t be hopelessly behind in the game. You send out O’Sullivan and on a good day, you’re down 5-2 after four innings, you still have a shot. The days of yanking a relief pitcher out of the pen and starting him are pretty much gone, since most relievers can only go an inning or (at best) two.
They just found their new closer