4 years agoWashington Nationals pitchers Paolo Espino and Luis Avilan could be used as openers this season. Manager Davey Martinez is worried about putting too many innings on pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who only threw five innings in 2020, and potential fifth starter Joe Ross, who threw zero. It doesn't sound like Strasburg or Ross would be used as a follower, but rather that Espino and Avilan would start bullpen games to spread out those Strasburg and Ross starts. Nobody's fantasy value is terribly affected by this news, except maybe in that Strasburg and Ross won't be throwing nearly 200 innings this year, but it means you won't want to just assume that they will be starting five days after their last appearance.--Nathaniel Green
Source: Jessica Camerato, MLB.com