With the Washington Nationals looking for a new closer, the team is going to acquire Mark Melancon from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
As the non-waiver trade deadline continues to close in, teams are starting to close in on their targets. The Washington Nationals, in need of a closer, had set their sights on Pittsburgh Pirates' Mark Melancon and have acquired him, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. The Pittsburgh Pirates will receive major league reliever Felipe Rivero and the Nationals' 27th-ranked prospect, left-handed pitcher Taylor Hearn, according to Jon Morosi of FOXSports.com.
Melancon, 31, has ventured around the league a bit since his debut with the New York Yankees in 2009. He was traded to the Houston Astros at the 2010 deadline and then joined Boston for the 2012 season. He has been a Pittsburgh Pirate since 2013 and he has had quite a dominant stretch since joining the club. During his tenure, Melancon is 10-10 with a 1.80 ERA in 267 appearances, including 130 saves.
In 2015, Melancon recorded a league-leading 51 saves for the Pirates, including a 2.23 ERA in 78 appearances. In 2016, Melancon is a lot better on paper, having already recorded 30 saves in 45 appearances with an absolutely dominant 1.51 ERA. He boasts 38 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched, as well as a respectable 2.66 FIP.
Rivero, 25, is currently 0-3 with a 4.53 ERA, with 47 appearances under his belt in 2016. Hearn, aged 21, has pitched with the GCL Nationals and the Hagerstown Suns, the Nationals' Single-A affiliate, going 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA in 10 appearances, including 4 starts. Hearn was the 5th round selection in the 2014 MLB Draft and is expected to arrive in the majors in 2019.
