WASHINGTON -- Getting Kelvin Herrera is huge for the Washington Nationals. Getting him without giving up a whole lot is even huger.
On the surface, it might not seem like the Nats were in dire need of bullpen help. Not after last summer, when GM Mike Rizzo hit the trifecta by picking up relievers Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler right before the trade deadline. But plenty can change in a year's time.
While Doolittle continues to evolve into one of the game's elite closers, Madson and Kintzler have endured a bumpy first half.