Nationals relievers have appeared in all 25 games and allowed runs in 19. They’ve got great stuff, and they need to pitch better,” Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said Sunday. In other words, Nationals relievers throw strikes, a crucial habit in the later innings when giving away base runners often equates to giving away runs. But Nationals relievers also throw fewer first-pitch strikes than those of all but three teams in the majors. As Rizzo put it, bluntly and repeatedly, “they need to pitch better.”

Source: Washington Post May 01, 2017 10:01 UTC