In the second half of the 2017 season, Washington Nationals relief pitcher Ryan Madson was straight-up dominant. The 37-year-old posted a 1.25 ERA along with a 0.90 FIP. Those two numbers suggest Madson’s ERA is perhaps a tick higher than what it should have been. In other words, he was unlucky.
Specifically for the Nationals, he was arguably their best reliever. Among Nationals relievers in the second half of the season, Madson ranked first in K/9, FIP, xFIP, and WAR.
In the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs, Madson pitched four innings, allowed one earned run, and struck out four.