Nationals add reliever as late-inning option The Nationals signed right-handed relief pitcher Brad Lidge to a one-year contract, the team announced Thursday.
The 35-year-old veteran has long been one of the sport’s top closers. But that will not be his role in Washington in 2012, according to general manager Mike Rizzo. Instead, Lidge will serve as another late-inning option in a strong bullpen that already features closer Drew Storen and setup man Tyler Clippard, who was a National League All-Star last season. Lidge signed with the Nats for $1 million plus incentives.
“Drew Storen is our closer. [Clippard] is our setup guy. They’re both All-Star caliber pitchers. Brad is an All-Star caliber pitcher and a veteran presence,” Rizzo told Examiner columnist Thom Loverro on “The Sports Fix,” his radio program on ESPN 980. “And you know [manager] Davey [Johnson]. He uses a bullpen. He’s got his ‘A’ and ‘B’ bullpen. There will be plenty of games for Brad to pitch in at the end of it, and he knows his role.”
Lidge’s fastball velocity dropped last season to 89 mph, according to the website Fangraphs.com. A shoulder injury kept Lidge out of action until July 25, but in 25 games down the stretch he recorded a 1.40 ERA for Philadelphia. He made three playoff appearances for the Phillies and gave up just two hits, a walk and no runs in a series loss to eventual World Series champion St. Louis.
But even without the mid-90s fastball that once allowed him to go 48-for-48 in save opportunities, including the playoffs, for Philadelphia in 2008, Lidge has long possessed one of the best sliders in the game. He was on the mound when the Phillies clinched the World Series in 2008 and has pitched in the postseason six different times.
The Nats already had the fifth-lowest ERA among all 30 major league bullpens last season (3.20). Storen made 73 appearances and Clippard 72 in 2011 — both ranking in the top 25 in that category. Henry Rodriguez often pitched in the seventh and eighth innings and finished with 9.59 strikeouts per nine innings.
