The Washington Nationals made some bold moves in the offseason in an attempt to correct a perceived culture problem, and it’s safe to say not every move has made the team better.
One of those moves was dealing relief pitcher Brandon Kintzler to the Chicago Cubs. It came in spite of the fact the Nationals weren’t actively selling and Kintzler had been a solid reliever for the Nats. The deal stunned Kintzler, and the Nationals effectively blamed him for leaking negative information to the media, which he denied.
A year later, Kintzler has found success with the Cubs, and it’s safe to say he doesn’t have many warm feelings for his former employers.
“I know they got the worst bullpen in baseball,” Kintzler said, via Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. “So I’ll just leave it at that.”
By ERA, Kintzler is correct, with the Nationals holding an awful 6.77 bullpen ERA. They also booted their pitching coach a month into the season, and only five teams have worse overall records.
It’s safe to say Kintzler has had the last laugh here and finds himself in a much better position.
More must-reads: