The Nationals bullpen has a new configuration, for the third time in as many weeks. Manager Manny Acta said Tuesday that the team would use a closer-by-committee approach for now, after Joel Hanrahan blew his third save in five opportunities in a 13-11 loss to the Phillies on Monday night.
Hanrahan came in with one on and two out in the eighth. He walked Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, two hitters who never had a hit off him, before giving up the go-ahead grand slam to Raul Ibanez. He admitted Monday he was afraid of giving up a home run, and Acta, Hanrahan and acting general manager Mike Rizzo all agreed the closer's confidence was an issue.
"Success breeds confidence, and he needs to get in less pressure situations to get his confidence and show what he should do," Rizzo said.
Acta said Kip Wells and Julian Tavarez -- who were both signed to minor league deals this spring -- will share the late-inning roles for now. When Joe Beimel returns from a strained hip flexor next week, he might factor into the ninth-inning equation rather than returning to his setup role.
"What we're going to do is put the veteran guys in at the end of the game, take all the pressure off these young kids by putting them earlier in the game," Acta said. "Right now, we're more by committee and matchups at the end of the game. Probably, most of the duties will be handled by Wells and Tavarez up until Beimel comes back, and then we'll put him in the mix. Depending on how things go this week, he might end up being the guy."
PHILLIES 7, NATIONALS 1: Washington got in trouble early, with John Lannan giving up a pair of home runs in a five-run third inning extended by an Alberto Gonzalez error. Chase Utley hit a second homer off Lannan in the fifth, and Washington could only manage an Adam Dunn homer in the sixth inning to avoid being shut out.
