Nationals' Joe Nathan: Chances of winning job shrink

Nathan's odds of winning a spot in the Nationals' bullpen may have taken a hit after the team signed Joe Blanton, The Washington Post reports.

Assuming the team carries seven relievers, five of those spots will be taken up by Blanton, Shawn Kelley, Blake Treinen, Sammy Solis and Oliver Perez. A sixth spot will go to a long reliever, which leaves Nathan competing with younger fireballers like Koda Glover and Enny Romero for the final opening. A good spring could still earn Nathan a look from another team in need of bullpen help, but his chances of pitching for Washington, much less working his way into the mix at closer, appear to be growing dimmer.