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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 1: Cole Henry #99 of the Washington Nationals looks on in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 1, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Nationals 6-5. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The Washington Nationals have announced that relievers Cole Henry and Ken Waldichuk will both be placed on the 15-day IL. 

Early Season Struggles

Waldichuk has been rather disappointing to start 2026. During his last appearance, he reeled back and threw a 35-foot four-seamer that knocked him out of the game. Waldichuk was in visible pain after the pitch and was immediately pulled from the game. His 6.75 ERA was never what Nationals fans expected, but D.C. will miss his longevity. Waldichuk’s injury is being called “forearm tightness.” 

Until recently, Henry had been one of the few reliable arms out of the Washington pen. His 6.43 ERA doesn’t represent his production to this point. Unfortunately, he’ll be shelved for the foreseeable future with a right rotator cuff strain. Henry, a former starting pitcher prospect, might be hitting dangerous territory in the Nats organization. 

Fans are hopeful that the early-season mishaps for Henry and Waldichuk can be chalked up to poor health. If that’s the case, when they get back, they’ll serve as reinforcements for a bullpen that could use as many as possible. 

Orlando Ribalta and Jackson Rutledge are the two names being ushered in. 

Orlando Ribalta and Jackson Rutledge Recalled

Ribalta has a career 7.81 ERA, but has looked sharp at AAA to start 2026. So far, he holds a 3.38 ERA and a WHIP of 0.750 in 5.1 innings. The Nationals picked up Ribalta in the 12th round of the 2019 MLB draft. Since then, he’s seen varying levels of success across minor league levels and has yet to find his footing in The Show. His best season, in 2024, saw the highs of his strikeout potential and the lows of his unhealthy relationship with ball-four. He’ll need to recapture his former prospect glory at the highest level if he’s to aid the bleeding bullpen in D.C. 

Rutledge has also struggled at the MLB level so far, though his sample size is much larger. In 101.1 innings, the right-hander has pitched to a 5.75 ERA. At AAA Rochester, Rutledge held a 5.40 ERA until his eventual call-up. He’ll likely fill the role of ‘innings-eater’ that Waldichuk had been placed in. A former first-round pick, Rutledge will be looking to pounce on this opportunity after being left off this year’s opening day roster. 

The Nationals Bullpen has to Improve

If the Nationals are going to improve on their treacherous bullpen antics, Ribalta and Rutledge will need to be significantly better than their recent track records. D.C. has had one of the most inconsistent arm barns in 2026, with a cumulative ERA of 5.71. That ranks 27th across all of baseball. 

On the offensive side of the ball, James Wood, Daylen Lile, and Luis Garcia Jr. have been very productive. The National offense is young, dynamic, and chippy. They’ve scratched off the four most runs in all of baseball and also have the fourth-best OPS as a team at .770. It’s an uphill battle to make it out of the cellar of the NL East. If the Nationals want even a glimmer of hope, the pitching staff will have to get it together.