Davey Martinez was saying for weeks towards the end of the 2021 campaign that reliever Tanner Rainey wanted to finish the season up in the majors after injuries and subsequent struggles on the mound led to a trip to Triple-A so he could get sorted out, try to find his command, and get back to being the potential future closer Washington’s Nationals saw him as after breakthrough performances in 2019 and 2020.
When he did return to the majors in mid-September, Rainey acknowledged it meant a lot to him to finish the season in the Nationals’ bullpen.
“I mean, get back here, finish the year strong, go into the offseason healthy, and build on that and be ready to go for spring next year,” he said.