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Nationals To Sign Kevin Jepsen

By Jeff Todd | June 29, 2017 at 11:11am CDT

The Nationals have agreed to a deal with righty Kevin Jepsen, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (Twitter link). It’s a minors pact with a July 26th opt-out opportunity, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets.

Jepsen, who’ll soon turn 33, recently put on a showcase in hopes of landing a new opportunity. He spent the spring with the Diamondbacks, but struggled in game action and was released before the start of the season.

There’s no sugar-coating Jepsen’s struggles in 2016. He threw 49 2/3 innings of 5.98 ERA ball for the Twins and Rays, with only 6.3 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9. Though he didn’t lose much on his mid-nineties fastball, Jepsen posted a 8.3% swinging-strike rate that fell short of his numbers over the prior two seasons.

If the drop in strikeouts wasn’t enough, Jepsen also struggled to manage contact, permitting hard contact at a career-worst 37.5% rate. Once a strong groundball pitcher, he managed to induce them at only a 31.1% clip while also allowing 2.2 homers per nine innings.

Still, there’s probably some hope of a return to form. Jepsen carried a 2.33 ERA over 69 2/3 innings in 2015 and was able to post 10.1 K/9 in his successful 2014 campaign. The Nationals will take a look at him over the coming weeks, just as they are doing with veteran Francisco Rodriguez, as the team decides upon a course of action at the trade deadline.

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Kevin Jepsen Transactions Washington Nationals

Levine: Twins Could Pursue Long-Term Assets At Deadline
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Deadline Notes: Red Sox, Giants, Relievers, Torres, Verlander, Cozart, Cabrera
34 comments
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Comments

  1. partyatnapolis

    4 years ago

    and the nationals bullpen gets even worse

    Like
    Reply
    • bastros88

      4 years ago

      *minor league bullpen

      Like
      Reply
    • hodor

      4 years ago

      Minors and it is a no risk deal to see if they catch lightning in a bottle.

      Like
      Reply
  2. Solaris611

    4 years ago

    Certainly the Nats don’t truly believe these scrap heap signings are going to solve their closer issues. These guys are unemployed for a reason.

    Like
    Reply
    • Jeff Todd

      4 years ago

      Surely they don’t. You’re correct. They signed them to minor-league deals for a reason.

      1 Like
      Reply
      • kehoet83

        4 years ago

        So are these just strictly depth signings for the minor leagues and nothing else? Or do the Nationals believe that they can contribute to the the major league squad?

        Like
        Reply
        • Jeff Todd

          4 years ago

          Both can opt out in a few weeks, so they are basically tryouts. Just see how they are throwing, compare to the guys currently on the MLB roster, and continue pursuing trades. Gives a few more options.

          None of this really bears on the possibility of adding a closer, I don’t think. Or even that of adding both a closer and a significant setup man. This is more, “could these guys be better than Albers/Turner/Blanton? let’s take a zero-risk shot to find out” than “can this guy be the missing piece?”

          Like
          Reply
  3. sss847

    4 years ago

    just trade for a closer already

    Like
    Reply
  4. redrooster

    4 years ago

    Any relation to Carly?

    2 Like
    Reply
    • YankeesBillsNets305

      4 years ago

      This guy asking the real important questions over here…

      2 Like
      Reply
    • Reflect

      4 years ago

      You should ask her. Call her, maybe.

      6 Like
      Reply
      • Joe Kerr

        4 years ago

        well played

        Like
        Reply
      • dwhitt3

        4 years ago

        +1

        Like
        Reply
  5. Bill Smith

    4 years ago

    #GoFundMe

    1 Like
    Reply
  6. Joe Kerr

    4 years ago

    Nats in desperation mode. See what sticks I guess.

    Like
    Reply
    • Jeff Todd

      4 years ago

      They are cruising in the division, so there’s little reason to rush into a major trade.

      Like
      Reply
      • realgone2

        4 years ago

        That’s a good point

        Like
        Reply
      • pro4pro32goathletics

        4 years ago

        They will want a major bullpen upgrade to help them in the Postseason, even though a lot is luck there it will make sence for the Nats to get controlable relievers before the Deadline, the bullpen is clearly a spot the Nats can improve.

        Like
        Reply
  7. koz16

    4 years ago

    Next thing you know the Nats will be holding open tryouts for RP’s in their parking lot.

    Like
    Reply
    • GareBear

      4 years ago

      I’m surprised they hadn’t made a play for Jeanmar after he was released

      Like
      Reply
  8. biasisrelitive

    4 years ago

    price of right field bleacher sheets sky rocket!

    Like
    Reply
  9. pro4pro32goathletics

    4 years ago

    They are just giving him and K-Rod a chance in case they come back to their best, they should go and get 2 quality relievers. Maybe they get Doolittle and Madson from Oakland for Victor Robles and AJ Cole (again)

    Like
    Reply
    • bleacherbum

      4 years ago

      That’s way to much to give up for them. They could get Hand and Maurer for Robles and a fringy prospect.

      Like
      Reply
      • SuperSinker

        4 years ago

        I think it’s more likely Hand/Maurer remain Padres than it is Washington trading Robles for relievers without an elite track record/pedigree

        1 Like
        Reply
      • pro4pro32goathletics

        4 years ago

        Well, that’s a trade I’d like to see as an A’s fan. But I mean Robles is just a prospect, who hasn’t played over A+ and Madson and Doolittle are good ML relievers with Doolittle pitching great recently and having him on a club friendly deal till 2020. I know he gets injured often, but I don’t think a trade like this is a science-fiction dream, remember what the Yankees got for Miller or the Phillies for Ken Giles?

        Like
        Reply
    • tylerall5

      4 years ago

      They wouldn’t trade Robles for a big OF piece, why would they do it for bullpen help?

      Like
      Reply
      • Priggs89

        4 years ago

        They won’t.

        Like
        Reply
      • pro4pro32goathletics

        4 years ago

        They still gave up a lot for Eaton and if they want the best relievers available they either give up Robles or offer a package of Soto/Feede/ Kieboom. I’d rather get one Robles, some teams might say: Robles or go away!

        Like
        Reply
    • halos101

      4 years ago

      robles is off limits for a deal for a closer. Now way he’s in a deal

      Like
      Reply
  10. LA Sam

    4 years ago

    Gonna have 17 man bullpen n still blow saves!

    Like
    Reply
  11. terry

    4 years ago

    This is another minor league signing. Call it a try out. Nothing lost but might be better than what they have now. Sure doesn’t stop them from trading for help later. They see no need to rush into a trade and with their current lead in the division neither do I.

    Like
    Reply
  12. wjf010

    4 years ago

    I wish they’d call the Twins and try to get Matt Belisle back.

    Like
    Reply
  13. ThePriceWasRight

    4 years ago

    Ad in Today’s Washington Newspapers.

    SEEKING CLOSER – DO YOU HAVE CLOSINH EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEARS? IF SO CALL NATIONALS FRONT OFFICE.

    WE ARE IN DIRE NEED AND NOT WILLING TO MAKE A TRADE TO INCLUDE A PROSPECT

    Like
    Reply
  14. dazedatnoon

    4 years ago

    not rushing into a trade isn’t a bad idea, but this isn’t exactly a new problem. the bullpen was a major question mark since the beginning of the season and has taken several hits (players to the DL) since then. i’d say they are about due to make a decision…..

    Like
    Reply

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