Last June, close to the end of the spectacular catastrophe that was the 2017 Washington Nationals’ bullpen, it seemed like the Nats had at least found someone to pitch the ninth.
Koda Glover, a hard throwing, knee-buckling, name-taking, [butt]-kicking righty, had taken the closer’s job with authority, ending a string of games uneventfully minus the near brawl he started with Yasiel Puig and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Days later, the Nationals picked a slew of pitchers in the draft, with Seth Romero—a flame-throwing lefty who had seen his career at the University of Houston cut short due to discipline issues surrounding a reported failed drug test and a fight with a teammate—headlining the class.