Washington Nationals Brad Lidge on DL

Washington Nationals reliever Brad Lidge was signed to a team-friendly deal in the offseason after coming off of yet another subpar year filled with injury. Manager Davey Johnson liked to utilize young, hard-throwing Henry Rodriguez in a part-time closer role with Lidge, as both shared duties in that regard.

A common theme in Lidge’s career has been injuries, and he hasn’t enjoyed a good year since his incredible, “perfect” 2008 campaign that led to a World Series title for the playoff hero. A year later, he costed his team nearly a win and struggled with his command throughout.

Never a stranger to the DL list, Brad Lidge has been placed on the 15-day DL with an abdominal strain. Although we don’t know how severe the injury is, it will likely cost him some time.

Although the Nationals have lost an option in the bullpen, Lidge struggled in his seven innings this year and should have never been used in high leverage situations. Rodriguez is undoubtedly the better reliever, and Johnson was using Brad Lidge too much and incorrectly at that. Rodriguez will get more ninth inning looks, but the injury cuts into the Nationals bullpen depth. True closer Drew Storen is still injured, so this injury means that another key RP is down.

Although he is better off as a set-up man on this team and hurt the Nats by closing, losing Lidge damages this team’s bullpen depth. The Nationals will be hoping for a speedy recovery, but abdominal strains are tricky.

Be sure to check out all of Call to the Pen’s transaction breakdowns for the 2011-12 offseason. You can follow Call to the Pen on Twitter at @FSCalltothePen or like us here on Facebook.

Follow Joe Soriano on Twitter here. Catch up on everything about the Washington Nationals at District on Deck.