Like so many of these Nats relievers, Gus Varland has bounced around a lot in his career, and is no stranger to the waiver wire. However, it really feels like the 29 year old has finally found a home in the back of the Nats bullpen. He has become the Nats closer, and has become a trustworthy presence in that role.
When Blake Butera needs big outs at the end of games, Varland is the man he turns to. That is what he did yesterday against the Twins. He called on Varland to get four big outs against his
home town team. After allowing a single to Byron Buxton in the 8th, Varland blew away the next four batters he faced, getting his 4th save of the season.
In a game where expanding arsenals are becoming all the rage, even for relievers, Varland keeps things simple. He throws a mid-90’s fastball with a lot of carry at the top of the zone and a high 80’s bullet slider that plays well off the heater. Varland throws each pitch about half of the time, and dares hitters to beat him.
Both of Varland’s pitches are good, but neither is a truly elite pitch. That means the right hander has to execute and control his arsenal. Varland absolutely fills up the zone, which can be rare to see from a reliever. He is only walking 1.84 batters per 9 innings, an elite number. Lately, he just has not been walking anyone at all. The last time Gus Varland issued a walk was on April 14th.
Varland can be hittable at times, with a .276 batting average against. However, as long as those hits are staying in the ballpark, it is not a big deal. You know Varland will not beat himself with walks, so allowing a couple hits here and there is not the end of the world.
Right now, Gus Varland has a 3.07 ERA and an even lower FIP at 2.46. Even when Clayton Beeter comes back, it is clear that Varland should be the main man in the bullpen. While Beeter’s fastball/slider mix is nastier, his control is nowhere near as good as Varland’s. Gus Varland has become the first Nats reliever of the year where you don’t have to hold your breath at all times when he is pitching.
Pitching is a family affair for the Varland’s. If you have been following baseball this year, you would know that 2026 has been the year of the Varland family. While Gus has been a big asset in the Nats bullpen, he is not even the best reliever in his own family. His brother Louis has been one of the best relievers in baseball for the Blue Jays this season.
Louis is like a turbo charged version of his brother. His fastball is harder, he has a deeper mix, but still has good control. The rise of the Varland brothers is almost unfathomable. Both went to Concordia University in Minnesota and were picked in the 14th and 15th rounds respectively. Now, both brothers are closers and have been two of the better relievers in the sport.
It was not meant to be like this for the Varland’s. Both making the big leagues, let alone being good big leaguers was against the odds, but here we are. The kids from Minnesota are kicking ass and taking names right now.
I remember talking to Gus, and he was telling me about what a privilege it is to pitch in the big leagues. After some rough outings in Spring Training, Varland worked on the mental side of the game, and it really seems like something has clicked for him. He is throwing the ball the best he has in his career.
Gus Varland has had to work for everything he has gotten. This is a 14th round pick who has been DFA’d four times in his career. That hard work looks like it is finally paying off in a big way. After mowing down the Twins yesterday, fans of his hometown team were upset that they did not give the local kid a shot. Like the rest of the league, they had many chances to claim Varland, but decided not to.
While this is the best he has pitched, this is not the first time Gus Varland has had success in the big leagues. Back in 2024, Varland posted a 3.42 ERA and 3.13 FIP in 26 outings with the Dodgers and White Sox. However, just as he was gathering momentum, he was hit with the injury bug in 2025. He only pitched in 8 games, none of them in the big leagues.
Like a lot of pitchers these days, Varland has dealt with a lot of injuries. He told me that he has had four surgeries in his career, but now he is healthy again. As he has shown in his past couple stints at the MLB level, a healthy Gus Varland is an effective big league pitcher.
Paul Toboni made a lot of bets on the waiver wire this offseason, and Varland was one of them. Not all of the moves have worked out, but there have been some hits. Those moves are a big reason why the Nats bullpen has improved so far this season. Guys like Varland, Richard Lovelady and Paxton Schultz have been reliable pieces for this bullpen. The other two have not been as good as Varland, but they have been solid, and that is exactly what the Nats need.
When building a bullpen, you do not need to splash the cash. Sure, a couple free agent additions can be helpful, but you can build a good bullpen with lesser known guys. Instead of paying stale veterans like Lucas Sims and Jorge Lopez, Paul Toboni has built the bullpen a different way. He is trying to find undervalued talent and cycle through guys until he finds the right mix. Gus Varland has been the biggest success story so far.
