Bullpen issues (what else?) resurface as Nationals lose to Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Leading by three runs in the seventh, Andrew Alvarez started to lose his command. After inducing a flyout, the lefty allowed a batter to reach base on a hit by pitch before walking Bryson Stott.

Bench coach Michael Johns, who took over managing duties after Blake Butera was thrown out aruging for interference on a rundown involving Nasim Nuñez, went to left-hander Tom Cosgrove.

Cosgrove imploded. He walked Edmundo Sosa to load the bases and surrendered a grand slam to outfielder Derek Hill, a known Nationals killer. Another late-game meltdown doomed the Nationals as they lost 6-3 to the Phillies.

Things looked promising for the Nationals early on. Even after the trades of Curtis Mead and of Luis García Jr., the offense still powered the team. First baseman Abimelec Ortiz wasted no time making an impact in the majors.

The 24-year-old homered in his first game since being recalled to ostensibly fill García’s role against right-handed pitchers. The offense kept rolling in the second. Keibert Ruiz singled on a ground ball to right field, followed by Daylen Lile’s two-run homer that extended the lead to 3-0.

Pitching with a lead helped Alvarez, who was aggressive in the zone and delivered his best performance of the season with 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball, three walks and five strikeouts. It was the first time this season that pitched that deep into a game.

But the team’s Achilles’ heel remains the bullpen. Entering Monday, the Nationals’ bullpen had the fourth-lowest bullpen ERA, worst strikeout rate and the 10th-highest walk rate.

Cosgrove’s ERA rose to 3.52 after Monday’s blowup. But his underlying numbers indicate that he should have a far higher ERA. His paltry 14.3% strikeout rate is unsustainable for a reliever. An inability to miss bats requires a reliever to be picture-perfect with their command, which Cosgrove has rarely shown in his tenure with the team.

Right-hander Clayton Beeter entered the game in the eighth, and he didn’t fare much better. He walked All-Star slugger Kyle Schwarber and allowed a two-run shot to Bryce Harper that added to the Nationals’ deficit.

If the Nationals want to keep their increasingly miniscule playoff odds alive, they’ll have to hope their pitching-heavy haul from the trade deadline can help fix the bullpen.