Gus Varland's Nasty Fastball-Slider Combo

It's April 5th.

This is Washington Nationals News today, your AI-powered team coverage.

The Washington Nationals pitching staff has had its share of rough patches this season,

but one name standing out is Gus Varland, the 29-year-old right-hander.

He's bringing a nasty fastball slider combo that jumps at the top of the zone and dives

late, and he's executing it clean so far.

Someone landed with the gnats after getting waived, following stints with the Dodgers

and White Socks last year.

He's been five days in limbo not knowing his next stop, but now he's settling in and

even faced off against his old Dodgers teammate, Shohei Otani.

Fans and teammates are buzzing about his poise, especially after he struck out Otani twice

in this series.

There's a deeper connection too.

Otani wants donated big to help cover Varland's mom's cancer treatments, and she's cancer-free

now.

The history adds real heart to his story.

Digging deeper, Varland's battled back from four surgeries and missing nearly all of

last season.

He's mostly a two-pitch guy, so command is everything, and he's honing that to stay ahead

of hitters.

With his choice to embrace confidence over doubt, Varland loves prime for high-leverage

spots in DC, turning every outing into a statement.