Derek Law hitting the IL opens up a bullpen spot, who will claim it?
Derek Law, who was one of the Nats most dependable relievers last season will open the year on the IL. He has not seen much action this spring, and said his arm has felt sore after he throws. It is not a major injury, and the plan will be to activate him after the 15 days are up.
This injury also opens up an extra bullpen spot, at least for the short term. Right now, it looks like Orlando Ribalta, Eduardo Salazar, Jackson Rutledge, and Brad Lord are now fighting for three spots in the bullpen.
The first three players are on the 40 man roster, so they should have the upper hand. After a walk filled first appearance, things looked grim for Jackson Rutledge, but he has righted the ship and now has a 3.24 ERA this spring.
Lord has also been mostly solid this spring, but he would have to be added to the 40 man roster to pitch. With Colin Poche being officially added to the 40 man, they would need to DFA a player to open up a spot. So with the other three being on the 40 man, sending Lord to AAA will be the easiest thing.
Ribalta, Rutledge and Salazar all have options, so they can be sent back and forth to AAA. When Law gets back, Rutledge would be the most likely candidate to be sent down. The Law injury is not serious, but it adds a layer on intrigue and mystery to a largely unproven bullpen.