The Washington Nationals ended the Joe Nathan experiment Monday, also cutting ties with reliever Matt Albers. Both pitchers came to West Palm Beach hoping to latch onto a bullpen with open auditions.
Nathan, coming off a second Tommy John surgery, struggled with command the first half of the Grapefruit League, but found his stuff as games wore on. The former All-Star closer was not auditioning for that job, but hoped he could set up the eventual winner.
Those surgeries and his age—42—cut down on what was a live fastball with movement to a high of 92.