Former Red Sox left-hander Zach Penrod will join the Nationals and compete for a spot in the bullpen. (Photo by Luke Hales / Getty Images)
Former Boston Red Sox left-hander Zach Penrod has agreed to a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. The contract includes an $800,000 salary if Penrod makes the major-league roster.
Penrod appeared in seven games for Boston during the 2024 season before being designated for assignment on Father’s Day, a move that coincided with the organization’s trade of Rafael Devers. He was later dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations, spending roughly six weeks on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster without making a major-league appearance.
With Triple-A Oklahoma City, Penrod was used primarily in bulk relief, as 10 of his 19 appearances lasted longer than one inning. The results were uneven. He issued more walks (30) than strikeouts (23) and finished with an 8.65 ERA, though that figure ballooned late. Prior to a disastrous final three outings—during which he allowed 11 runs while recording just seven outs—Penrod carried a 5.32 ERA, suggesting his overall line was skewed by a rough finish.
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Those struggles were reflected in Penrod’s underlying major-league metrics. In limited action during 2024, he posted a 5.03 xERA with a .226 expected batting average against, while averaging 94.8 mph on his fastball. Despite the velocity, command proved to be a major obstacle. Penrod walked 20.0% of opposing hitters against a 15.0% strikeout rate, struggled to generate chases (20.4% chase rate) or consistent swing-and-miss (25.6% whiff rate), and allowed an 85.1 mph average exit velocity with a modest 33.3% ground-ball rate. While his 6.5 feet of extension and raw stuff remain intriguing, the lack of control left little margin for error.
The Dodgers ultimately designated Penrod for assignment on August 1, clearing a 40-man roster spot for the return of Blake Snell from the 60-day injured list the following day.
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Penrod now lands with Washington, where he’ll get an opportunity to compete for a spot in the Nationals’ Opening Day bullpen. The competition figures to be crowded, with right-handers Cole Henry, Clayton Beeter, Jackson Rutledge, Orlando Ribalta, Julian Fernandez, and Griff McGarry in the mix, along with left-handers Mitchell Parker, Konnor Pilkington, PJ Poulin, and Foster Griffin.
For Penrod, the path to sticking will hinge on whether the Nationals can find a role in their bullpen while working to improve his command. If he shows progress this spring, Washington could view him as a low-risk depth option capable of contributing out of the bullpen.