The revolving door that has been the 2025 Nationals bullpen picked up two new passengers today when the club added Clayton Beeter and PJ Poulin to the major league roster, two recent acquisitions who are going to get a chance to contribute to a relief corps that needs all the help it can get.

After trading veterans Kyle Finnegan, Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia prior to last week’s deadline, the Nats were left with a highly inexperienced bullpen with only one member who had pitched in more than 45 big league games in his career (Jose A. Ferrer). That group was promptly battered around by the Brewers, surrendering 22 runs (19 earned) on 30 hits and nine walks across 14 1/3 innings during their weekend sweep, leading to the demotions of Ryan Loutos and Zach Brzykcy to Triple-A Rochester.

Enter Beeter (one of two prospects acquired from the Yankees for Amed Rosario) and Poulin (claimed off waivers from the Tigers on Sunday).

“I believe we need a lefty, and we just claimed (Poulin) off waivers,” interim manager Miguel Cairo said. “Beeter, he throws hard, good slider. And I’m looking forward to seeing how he matches up with big league hitters.”

Beeter, 26, has a little bit of major league experience, appearing in five games for the Yankees across the last two seasons. A second-round pick in 2020 from Texas Tech, he spent most of his minor league career as a starter before moving to the bullpen this season. In 18 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after time on the injured list with a shoulder impingement, he produced a 3.10 ERA, striking out 33 batters in only 20 1/3 innings (albeit with 16 walks issued in that same time frame).

It's been a whirlwind 10 days for Beeter, from the trade to a brief stint with Rochester (which happened to be playing Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at the time) to today’s call-up.

“I was shocked, for sure,” he said of the trade. “And then to go across the hall to the other clubhouse was pretty crazy. I tried to meet as many people as I could. I’ve had nothing but a great experience with this org so far.”

Today’s call-up was more emotional for Poulin, who will be making his major league debut at 29. An 11th-round pick of the Rockies in 2018 from UConn, the lefty has spent seven seasons in the minors, including 108 total games at Triple-A over parts of the last four seasons.

Traded last summer for cash considerations, Poulin was added to Detroit’s 40-man roster this year and proceeded to go 7-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 62 strikeouts in only 42 2/3 innings. But when the Tigers needed to clear roster space for several trade deadline acquisitions – including Finnegan – they designated him for assignment, and the Nationals swooped in to claim him and bring him straight to the majors.

“It’s been a long journey,” he said with a wide smile this afternoon. “But I’ll tell you what: It feels really good to be standing here and be here at this park right now. … Needless to say, I didn’t expect to just come right here, not having ever been here. That was definitely unexpected, but obviously super, super cool.”