The Minnesota Twins traded relief pitcher Ryne Harper to the Washington Nationals for minor league pitcher Hunter McMahon on Wednesday. The acquisition of Harper should improve the Nationals bullpen, as he had a very effective 2019 Major League Baseball season.
In 61 games during his rookie 2019 campaign, Harper had a record of four wins, two losses, one save and an earned run average of 3.81. In 54 1/3 innings pitched, Harper gave up 54 hits, 23 earned runs and 10 walks. He had 50 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.18.
A native of Clarksville, Tennessee, Harper was a 30 year-old first year player in 2019. Harper’s save came in a 5-3 Twins win over Milwaukee Brewers on May 28, as he threw a third of an inning and got a fly ball out in six pitches. Harper’s four wins came on June 7 in a 6-3 Minnesota win over the Detroit Tigers, on June 13 in a 10-5 Minnesota win over the Seattle Mariners, on June 21 in an 8-7 Minnesota win over the Kansas City Royals and on September 17 in a 9-8 Minnesota win over the Chicago White Sox.
Sean Doolittle of Rapid City, South Dakota is expected to remain the Nationals closer in 2020. Last season he had 29 saves. Other relief pitchers in the Nationals system in 2020 are expected to be Will Harris of Houston, Texas (who the Nationals acquired in free agency on January 3), Daniel Hudson of Lynchburg, Virginia, Tanner Rainey of Folsom, Louisiana, Wander Suero of San Cristobal Province, Dominican Republic, Roenis Elias of Guantanamo, Cuba, Austin Voth of Redmond, Washington and Erick Fedde of Las Vegas, Nevada.
