Washington Nationals option former Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever amidst struggles
Photo credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The Washington Nationals optioned former Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Paxton Schultz to Triple-A Rochester following a 10-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.
The Washington Nationals confirmed Paxton Schultz’s demotion but has yet to announce a corresponding move to fill his spot on the active roster.
Schultz will likely get additional chances amid struggles of Nationals bullpen
Schultz, 28, has logged eight innings over five appearances this season. He’s struck out seven batters while issuing just one walk, though he’s also given up two home runs and four earned runs.
While that adds up to a 4.50 ERA, underlying metrics suggest he may have benefited from some good fortune, though it’s difficult to draw firm conclusions from such a limited sample.
His performance isn’t far off from last season, when he posted a 4.38 ERA across 24⅔ innings with Toronto, pairing slightly above-average strikeout and walk rates.
Originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round of the 2019 draft, Schultz was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in May 2021.
He spent several years working his way through the minors, transitioning from a starting role to more consistent relief work upon reaching Triple-A in 2023.
In 2025, with the Blue Jays, he delivered a strong 3.31 ERA over 51 innings at that level, while keeping his home run rate below one per nine innings.
Once known for leaning heavily on his four-seam fastball, Schultz has shifted his approach in 2026, throwing his upper-80s cutter more than half the time (51.5%), with the four-seamer and changeup serving as secondary options.
At this stage, Schultz projects as a depth reliever, but he’s likely to get additional chances with Washington this season, especially given the struggles of the team’s bullpen.
The Nationals’ relief corps currently holds a 6.01 ERA, has allowed two home runs per nine innings, and owns the lowest strikeout rate in the league at 16.9%.
Also read on Blue Jays Central :
Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman talks about his ninth inning struggles, mindset going forward
Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman talks about his ninth inning struggles, mindset going forward
| POLL | ||
4 HOURS AGO|3 ANSWERS Washington Nationals option former Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever amidst struggles Do you think Paxton Schultz will be back up with the Washington Nationals? | ||