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MLB All-Star break: 10 biggest storylines of 2017

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on July 5, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 7-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on July 5, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 7-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 16: Koda Glover #30 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with Matt Wieters #32 after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 at PNC Park on May 16, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 16: Koda Glover #30 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with Matt Wieters #32 after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 at PNC Park on May 16, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

7. The Nationals still need a bullpen

The day was July 31, 2015 and the Washington Nationals had just traded for veteran All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon in an effort to shore up their leaky bullpen. Drew Storen, a pretty good closer in his own right, was coming off a 2014 season in which he had a 1.12 ERA in 65 appearances and was sporting a 1.64 ERA of his own at the time of the trade. After Papelbon came over, Storen would slide into the eighth inning without a hitch.

Sounds like a great plan on paper.

Losing his job as closer threw Storen into a tailspin. He pitched to a 7.56 ERA in his next 18 appearances and was lost for the year on September 9 after hurting himself while taking out his frustrations on his locker. Papelbon wasn’t great either, and the Nats missed the playoffs. And of course, who could forget that fun moment where he choked out Bryce Harper. Good times.

With Papelbon struggling in 2016, the Nationals tried to find a different answer for the ninth inning by trading closer-in-waiting Felipe Rivero for Mark Melancon, who walked after the season. Rivero has a 0.76 ERA in 44 appearances for the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the Nationals have a collective bullpen ERA of 5.20 and have blown 14 saves. It has been a disaster every time Dusty Baker goes out to the mound. Once again, the Nationals will be forced to blow up their farm system at the deadline in hopes of finding a closer.

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