The Nationals are bringing in another controllable reliever, one with a track record for pitching multiple innings out of the bullpen.
The club claimed Paxton Schultz off waivers from the Blue Jays on Friday, picking up the 28-year-old right-hander five days after he was designated for assignment when Toronto needed to clear a 40-man roster spot to sign Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto.
Schultz has 13 games of major league experience, all of them coming last season when he posted a 4.38 ERA and 1.419 WHIP. He made two starts, but both were abbreviated outings in which he was held to 40-45 pitches.
A starter through most of his minor league career, Schultz moved to the bullpen in 2024 and earned his way to the big leagues the following year with his ability to throw multiple innings in relief. He totaled two or more innings in six of his 13 outings and threw 40 or more pitches in seven of them, including an April 20 debut against the Mariners in which he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out eight.
Schultz wound up striking out 28 batters in 24 2/3 MLB innings, walking only eight. Those numbers were better than he showed in 25 games with Triple-A Buffalo during the season, when he delivered a 3.31 ERA and 1.102 WHIP but struck out fewer batters (46) than innings pitched (49) while walking 17.
Originally a 14th-round pick in 2019 out of Utah Valley University by the Brewers, Schultz was traded to the Blue Jays two years later for outfielder Derek Fisher. He has two remaining option years, so the Nationals will be free to move him up and down from D.C. to Rochester in both 2026 and 2027 if needed.
Schultz’s acquisition became official after the Nats cleared a 40-man roster spot by requesting unconditional release waivers on reliever Sauryn Lao. Lao received an offer to pitch in Japan, and the Nationals granted his request by cutting him loose now.
The 26-year-old right-hander was claimed off waivers from the Mariners in early September and wound up pitching in six games down the stretch, allowing three runs on eight hits over 7 2/3 innings, striking out five. He earned his first career win during a wild, 11-inning victory over the Mets at Citi Field.
At the moment, the Nationals have only eight true relievers on their 40-man roster, with Schultz joining right-handers Cole Henry, Clayton Beeter, Jackson Rutledge, Julian Fernández and Orlando Ribalta, plus left-handers PJ Poulin and Konnor Pilkington. Rule 5 draft pick Griff McGarry has been a starter in the minors but could make the roster as a reliever. The club also could use Brad Lord or Mitchell Parker as relievers if they’re not in the Opening Day rotation.
Regardless, the club is expected to pursue more experienced arms this winter to help fill out what on paper is a thin bullpen group.
* The Nationals will make four national TV appearances this season as part of NBC’s new Sunday Leadoff package.
NBC did not pick the Nats for any of its new Sunday Night Baseball package but did select them for four of the 18 games that will be shown earlier each Sunday afternoon. Most of those games will be streamed on Peacock and broadcast over the air on NBCSN.
The four games the Nationals will play: May 10 at the Marlins, June 7 at the Diamondbacks, Aug. 9 at home vs. the Reds and Aug. 30 at home vs. the Marlins. All games are scheduled to start at noon local time, which in the case of the game at Arizona will equate to a 3 p.m. start in Washington.