Ferrer earned the save in Thursday's 9-3 win over the Mets, allowing one hit and no walks in 1.1 scoreless innings. He struck out three.
Ferrer entered the game with the Nationals nursing a 5-3 lead in the eighth inning, but Washington scored four more runs in the bottom half of the frame to give him a big cushion to work with while recording the final three outs. The 25-year-old southpaw has emerged as the clear favorite for saves following the Kyle Finnegan trade, having now converted each of his four save chances in August. Over his last 18.2 innings, Ferrer sports a 1.93 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 18:2 K:BB.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Passed over in save opportunity
Rotowire
Ferrer earned a hold during Thursday's 3-2 win over Philadelphia, allowing one hit with one strikeout during a scoreless inning.
Ferrer handled ninth-inning duties Aug. 9 in Washington's first save opportunity after trading closer Kyle Finnegan, but Ferrer was passed over Thursday in favor of Cole Henry. Instead, Ferrer worked in a setup role, pitching a scoreless eighth frame before Henry earned the save with a scoreless ninth. The Nationals could use a matchup-based approach to the closer role for the final weeks of the season between the lefty Ferrer and the righty Henry, but save chances are likely to come at a premium for the rebuilding club. Ferrer has allowed two runs on nine hits in six innings during August.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Notches first save
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Ferrer gave up two hits and struck out one over 1.2 scoreless innings to record his first save of the season in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Giants.
The southpaw notched the Nationals' first save since Kyle Finnegan was dealt at the trade deadline, firing 13 of 19 pitches for strikes. Ferrer didn't have it easy, either. Cole Henry worked the eighth inning but loaded the bases with one out, forcing Ferrer into the game early, and he escaped the jam by allowing only a sacrifice fly. Washington may not generate many save chances over the final weeks of the season, but Ferrer is the favorite to handle them, and over his last 12 appearances he's posted a 2.38 ERRA, 1.15 WHIP and 10:2 K:BB in 11.1 innings.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Nabs 15th hold
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Ferrer tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief Friday to record his 15th hold of the season in a win over the Angels.
The southpaw has had a shaky June overall, posting a 5.11 ERA in 12.1 innings, but Ferrer has already set a new career high in holds after coming into 2025 with only 11 over 70 big-league appearances. He seems locked in as one of closer Kyle Finnegan's primary setup men, but his sinker-heavy approach likely won't get him much ninth-inning work in the event Finnegan is traded -- Ferrer has a 59.8 percent groundball rate but only a 19.0 percent strikeout rate on the season.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Could factor into closing picture
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Manager Dave Martinez said earlier this week that Ferrer remains a candidate to save games for the Nationals along with Jorge Lopez, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. "As I said earlier, Ferrer will get an opportunity to close as well," Martinez said. "Right now, we're going to play matchups. But if Lopez is available, he can do it."
The back end of the Washington bullpen is in flux heading into Opening Day, after the Nationals elected to non-tender Kyle Finnegan in November coming off a 38-save season. Washington brought in Lopez over the winter on a one-year, $3 million deal, and based on Martinez's comments, Lopez -- who saved 23 games in 2022 between stops with the Orioles and Twins -- looks to be the preferred option in what could be a two-pronged approach at closer. Ferrer, meanwhile, has just one career save to his name, but he was one of Washington's top relievers in 2024 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 25:6 K:BB in 32 innings. As the southpaw option of the two relievers, Ferrer could be the choice over Lopez for save situations that arise when the Nationals face lefty-heavy lineups in the ninth inning.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Rejoins bullpen
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The Nationals activated Ferrer (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Friday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Ferrer has been out all season with a strain of the teres major muscle in his left shoulder. He will give the team a second left-hander in the bullpen behind Robert Garcia, something the Nationals have not had in 2024 until now.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Rehab moved to Double-A
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The Nationals transferred Ferrer's (shoulder) rehab assignment to Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Ferrer appeared in one game in the Florida Complex League, allowing one run on two hits while striking out one batter in 1.1 innings. He'll now join Harrisburg in order to rehab against some tougher competition, though it's still unclear whether he'll report to the Nationals or Triple-A Rochester once he's activated off the 60-day IL.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Beginning rehab assignment
Rotowire
Ferrer (shoulder) was sent to the Nationals' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Thursday to begin a rehab assignment.
Ferrer has been out all season with a strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder but has finally been cleared for game action. The lefty's rehab assignment should be fairly lengthy given how much time he's missed, and he's not a given to be added to the major-league roster once his time on the 60-day injured list is over.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Shifts to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Nationals placed Ferrer (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Sunday.
The 24-year-old has been shut down from throwing since March 15 due to a strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder, and he'll be sidelined for at least the first two months of the season. Ferrer is nearly halfway through his initial three-week shutdown, so he could resume throwing in early April if his shoulder checks out fine.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: To be called up Friday
Rotowire
Ferrer will be called up by the Nationals on Friday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Ferrer has struggled with his command this summer at Triple-A Rochester, but the 23-year-old relief prospect owns a 3.04 ERA with 235 strikeouts in 192.2 career minor-league innings. He'll probably slide into a middle-relief role initially but could see higher-leverage opportunities after the Nats shed parts at the Aug. 1 trade deadline.
