WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals made a last-minute move to bolster their bullpen, acquiring right-handed reliever Brandon Kintzler from the Minnesota Twins, the team announced Monday.
Single-A right-handed pitcher Tyler Watson is headed to Minnesota in return. Additionally, the Nationals designated minor league right-handed pitcher Jimmy Cordero for assignment to make room for Kintzler on the 40-man roster.
The Nats completed the move just minutes before Monday’s 4 p.m. EST non-waiver trade deadline. Kintzler, who turns 33 Tuesday, is in the midst of the best year of his career, pitching to a 2.78 ERA with 28 saves in 45 relief appearances for the Twins, earning him his first career All-Star selection.
Kintzler joins recent acquisitions Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle at the back of the Nationals’ bullpen. Despite a better run of late, Washington’s relief corps still owns the worst ERA in the National League at 5.07, nearly a full run higher than the Major League average.
Watson, 20, was originally a 34th-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. He was 6-4 with a 4.35 ERA in 18 appearances (17 starts) at Low-A Hagerstown.
