Feb 19, 2026, 7:18 AM ET

Washington Nationals relief pitcher Clayton Beeter's overall stats from 2025 don't look great (4.26 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 14.4% K-BB%), but things got much better for him after a deadline deal that sent him from the Bronx to Washington, D.C. With the Nationals, Beeter posted a 2.49 ERA, 2.72 FIP, and 38.1% K rate in 21.2 innings. Those are exactly the type of numbers we like to see from a prospective closer, but unfortunately, it came with an ugly 16.7% BB rate. It also took a .189 BABIP to produce these results, which probably isn't sustainable long term. Still, Beeter is the favorite to get the closing job in Washington heading into 2026, as the rebuilding Nats look to throw some spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks. For Beeter, it's going to come down to reducing walks. He's got the stuff, with a 96.5 mph heater and an 87.4 mph wipeout slider, but his walk rate will give fantasy managers heart trouble during the season. The Nats do have a revamped coaching staff, so maybe they can help Beeter reduce his walk rate, but truthfully, we don't often see big gains in control and command for pitchers past age 25 (Beeter is 27). He's going around pick 346 in NFBC leagues in March, which makes him a decent late-round dart throw. He could be really dominant if he could ever curb the walks, and there isn't a lot of competition in Washington's bullpen for saves.--Elliott Baas