The Washington Nationals have released right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress, according to Jesse Doughtery of The Washington Post. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed Jeffress was released for “personnel reasons.”
Jeffress, 33, signed a non-guaranteed minor league deal with Washington ahead of Spring Training. He was expected to compete for a spot in the Nationals’ bullpen. However, his stay with the club lasted just a couple of weeks.
Last year, Jeffress had a impressive campaign during the pandemic-shortened season. He posted a 1.54 ERA in 22 appearances while recording eight saves and finishing 15 games. Despite the strong numbers, he was unable to land a guaranteed deal.
Inconsistency throughout recent years may have played a part. He’s had subpar performances the following year after strong seasons. In 2019, he had an ERA 5.02 a year after having a 1.29 in 2018.
It’s unclear what personnel reasons played into his release. But, Washington moves on with what they believe is a strong rebuilt bullpen heading into 2021.
