Nationals' Jeremy Hellickson: Contract purchased

Hellickson was added to the active roster Monday ahead of his start against the Mets, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

Hellickson will join the Nationals' rotation in place of the struggling A.J. Cole. Hellickson had a poor season in 2017, posting a 5.43 ERA and a 5.77 FIP. Cole set a very low bar to clear in his first two starts, though, with a 12.00 ERA and an 8.50 FIP. Joining the Nationals gives Hellickson the opportunity to earn more than his fair share of wins, though he'll have to pitch better than he did last year or else the team will start looking for other options.