The Nationals have picked up swing man Paxton Schultz off of waivers to bolster their pitching depth
After claiming Joey Wiemer on Monday, Paul Toboni is using the waiver wire again. This time he has claimed Blue Jays pitcher Paxton Schultz. I like this claim, and think Schultz will have a place on the roster. He is a swing man, who can fill a variety of roles and also has solid stuff.
Last season, Schultz made his debut for the Blue Jays, making 13 appearances, with two of them being starts. He held his own at the MLB level posting a respectable 4.38 ERA in 24.2 innings. Schultz’s combination of strikeouts and solid command makes him an interesting arm.
With the Blue Jays, Schultz struck out 25.5% of hitters and walked just 7.3% of them. He does this with a strong four pitch mix. His fastball averaged a touch below 94 MPH, but the pitch has a lot of carry. That movement profile is why Schultz had a 26.3% whiff rate on his heater. His most used secondary pitch is a cutter, which also has good whiff numbers. Schultz throws a changeup, mostly to lefties and a slider, mostly to righties. It is a solid mix that can get results in the MLB.
He may not have a true plus pitch, but he has a solid mix and good control. Schultz gives up more hard contact and home runs than you would like to see though. He struggled with the long ball in his first MLB stint.
Schultz will be a multi inning relief option for the Nats. With guys like Schultz, Brad Lord, Andrew Alvarez and Mitchell Parker, I wonder if the Nats get more creative in how they deploy their pitchers. Do not be surprised if we see more bullpen games in 2026.
At 28, Schultz is not a youngster, but he is not old either. There could be more untapped potential, though I am not sure how much. He grinded his way to the MLB as a former 14th round pick, earning everything he has gotten.
I think Schultz has a good chance of sticking on the Nats roster for a while. He has two option years, so he can go up and down when needed. Optionable arms are something GM’s like to have. It gives them more flexibility. If the Nats just need innings to fill, they can turn to Schultz.
This claim is probably going to be more impactful than the Wiemer claim. Schultz has a clearer path to playing time and has been more productive. He may not be a flashy piece, but Paxton Schultz will fill a role for the Washington Nationals.
Category: General Sports
