Nationals Release Lucas Sims in Latest Bullpen Shake-Up

This Washington Nationals' bullpen is a mess.

They have the worst ERA in Major League Baseball (7.29) and have done so in 129 2/3 innings of work, the eighth-fewest frames pitched by a relief staff.

What makes matters even worse is the front office knew they had issues when it came to this bullpen and still put together a unit that has performed in this manner.

One of the notable offseason additions, Colin Poche, is no longer with the team after he was designated for assignment, and now the Nationals decided to move on from another one of their winter additions by placing Lucas Sims on unconditional release waivers, per an announcement made by the team.

This came late on Friday, the same day where he allowed three earned runs in the top of the eighth inning where he got pulled after only getting two outs.

On the year, Sims has posted a 13.86 ERA in 18 outings, walking a staggering 14 batters compared to 13 strikeouts in just 12 1/3 total innings pitched.

Washington will make a corresponding move to fill a spot on their 40-man roster, but nothing has been announced at the time of writing.

The Nationals gave Sims a $3 million contract this past winter, and since he'll likely go unclaimed, they'll have to pay the remainder of his salary outside of the prorated $760,000 league minimum if he spends time in the Majors with another team who signs him.

Now that the dust has settled on Poche and Sims, those two moves were disastrous.

Neither made it to the summer with Washington, and now even more bullpen questions exist for this team that already has the worst relief unit in the sport.

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