The Washington Nationals have been in a rebuilding phase since winning the World Series in 2019. While they showed signs of life in 2023, the Nationals still need plenty of help to get back into the playoff hunt.
Washington has hired Sean Doolittle as a pitching strategist, the team announced. Doolittle will now be tasked with getting the next regime of Nationals pitchers ready for the rigors of MLB.
Doolittle recently retired after pitching 11 years in the major leagues. Five of those years came with the Nationals, where Doolittle appeared in 153 games. He held a 2.92 ERA with a 169/33 K/BB ratio. Doolittle made 75 saves, was named an All-Star and won a World Series with the Nationals.
The left-hander appeared in 463 total games over his career. Doolittle made 112 saves with a 3.20 ERa and a 522/103 K/BB ratio. He was named an All-Star in 2014 with the Oakland Athletics alongside his 2018 appearances with the Nationals.
There's no question that the Nationals need some work in the pitching department. Washington ranked 27th in the league with a 5.02 ERA. Their .283 batting average against ranked 28th while they had the seventh-most walks with 592. In turn, they ranked just 28th in strikeouts with 1,225.
There could be pitching help on the way however. Washington's rotation is poised to be headed by three players 26-years-old or younger in Josiah Gray, Mackenzie Gore and Jake Irvin. The Nationals also have Cade Cavalli, who was forced to miss the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery.
As Washington's young pitchers get acclimated to the league, Sean Doolittle will be there to assist them. After a successful career on the mound, Doolittle is now focused to giving back to baseball and helping the Nationals reclaim their former glory.
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