SAN DIEGO – Right-hander Orlando Ribalta, one of the Nationals' most improved pitchers this season, was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with right forearm inflammation. The team is awaiting results of an MRI.
“Hopefully, we get the results either tonight or tomorrow, and hopefully, it's nothing serious,” manager Blake Butera said after the Nationals’ 3-2 loss to the Padres on Monday. “But it's enough to go on the IL.”
The Nationals recalled right-hander Yovanny Cruz from Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move.
Ribalta has become a late-inning go-to for the Nats in his third Major League season. He has recorded a 3.77 ERA while throwing a career-high 43 innings across 45 appearances.
Ribalta, though, informed Butera of right arm discomfort before Sunday’s series finale against the Dodgers.
“It’s on the outside of his right forearm,” Butera said on Sunday. “It's something he's dealt with a little bit throughout the year, but he's managed. He came in 30 minutes before the game today and was basically like, ‘I can't pitch.’
“Generally speaking, it's a huge blow.”
The Nationals are looking to avoid an undesirable record: the all-time mark for most blown saves in a single season. With 37, this Nats team is tied with the 2021 Nationals and 2024 White Sox.
Washington manages its bullpen to matchups, and Ribalta has been dominant against lefties. He has held left-handed batters to a .132 average (9-for-68) this season. Ribalta also has been clutch in jams -- he has held his opponents to 0-for-11 (including five strikeouts) with the bases loaded.
In a recent 16-game stretch from June 30 to Aug. 21, Ribalta posted a 2.25 ERA with 19 strikeouts. He earned his first career win on Aug. 29 against the Marlins. Ribalta stranded the automatic runner and recorded two strikeouts in that game.
Cruz hopes to be more consistent in his second stint with the Nationals. Acquired from the Yankees in the Luis García Jr. trade, Cruz struggled on a new team and did not have confidence in his fastball. He was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 19.
Cruz said the time on the Red Wings was helpful to get acclimated. He worked on his sinker and slider with assistant pitching coach Sam Narron, which he hopes will be effective in games.
After going 0-1 with an 11.25 ERA in six relief appearances with the Nationals, Cruz got into a rhythm with the Red Wings. He posted a 2.57 ERA in seven Triple-A appearances to earn the promotion.
“We’re happy with the work that he's put in while in Rochester,” said Butera. “We had a plan for him laid out when he left here last time. We believe in his arm, we believe in the stuff. We wanted to at least add a couple things to his repertoire and be able to solidify some things for him and get him some confidence moving forward. I was happy with how he was throwing the ball there to warrant getting back up here.”
Right-hander Riley Cornelio is starting on Tuesday in a bullpen game. The Nationals' 'pen includes a handful of new faces in the final month of the season. Left-hander Jared Simpson and right-hander Jack Sinclair made their Major League debuts in September; southpaw Luis Perales reached the bigs on Aug. 26; right-hander Matt Waldron was claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays on Aug. 22; and lefty Erik Tolman debuted on Aug. 19.
“We’re just going to have to piece it together, use the bullpen, see what Riley can give us and go from there,” said Butera.