Tanner Rainey

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• Nationals' Tanner Rainey: Records win after blown save

  7D ago •

  Rainey (1-1) was charged with his second blown save of the season but picked up the win in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-inning victory over the Marlins, giving up a run on a hit and two walks in one inning of relief. He struck out one. With the Nationals ahead 4-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, Rainey got the call but quickly loaded the bases with one out before a Jazz Chisholm sacrifice fly tied the game. Rainey has now blown his last two save opportunities and given up runs in three straight appearances after maintaining a 0.00 ERA through his first eight games. On the season, the right-hander now sports a 3.38 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 13:4 K:BB through 10.2 innings, and if he continues to struggle, it could open the door for someone like Kyle Finnegan to get a look in the closer role.

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• Nationals' Tanner Rainey: Takes loss, blows save Sunday

  17D ago •

  Rainey (0-1) blew the save and took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits and a walk over two-thirds of an inning in a 5-4 defeat Sunday against the Angels. Rainey entered the game with a two-run lead and struck out the first batter he faced. After a walk and a single, he punched out Mike Trout. Shohei Ohtani then smacked a two-run double off the wall to tie it and was plated on a walk-off single by Anthony Rendon. Rainey had been excellent in his first eight appearances, converting all three of his save opportunities and holding opponents scoreless. The 29-year-old is the lone National to record a save, and his status as closer should not change despite this hiccup.

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• Nationals' Tanner Rainey: Secures third save

  04/20/2022 •

  Rainey collected his third save of the season in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks, giving up two hits and a walk while striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning. Called upon to protect a 1-0 lead, Rainey managed to load the bases with nobody out before escaping the jam he'd created. The right-hander has an unblemished ERA and 4:1 K:BB through four innings to begin the season and has yet to blow a save chance, but Rainey has a long way to go before he should be considered reliable as the Nationals' closer.

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• Nationals' Tanner Rainey: Notches second save

  04/13/2022 •

  Rainey gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning to record his second save of the season in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Atlanta. The right-hander did give up a two-out single to Austin Riley to make things interesting, but Rainey is 2-for-2 in save chances to begin the season. As long as he keeps getting the job done, Nationals manager Dave Martinez will keep turning to him in the ninth, but Rainey still has a little more work to do before he can be considered the team's true closer.

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• Nationals' Tanner Rainey: Reaches deal with Washington

  03/23/2022 •

  Rainey and the Nationals agreed to terms Tuesday on a one-year contract to avoid arbitration, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Rainey endured a turbulent 2021 campaign in which he struggled from both a performance and health standpoint, but he at least closed the season on a high note. Following a call-up from Triple-A Rochester for the final two weeks, Rainey made six appearances out of the bullpen and turned in a 1.41 FIP over that stretch while notching two saves. Rainey's strong finish to the season along with an impressive 20.1-inning sample in 2020 looks like it'll be enough to keep him in the closer mix heading into 2022, as manager Dave Martinez said early in spring training that he was hopeful the right-hander would seize hold of the job. The skipper may not formally name a closer heading into Opening Day, but Rainey should be in the mix for the gig if he turns in a productive spring.

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