Nationals Release Right-Handed Reliever Following His DFA
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The Washington Nationals made an interesting roster move on Wednesday.
Their team account announced the release of right-handed pitcher Julian Fernandez. That came after the Nationals designated him for assignment on June 12 following their decision to claim top prospect Jhancarlos Lara off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.
Fernandez, who was claimed off waivers last year on Aug. 17 after he was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers, made three major league appearances in 2025 for Washington to close out the season. He gave up just one earned run on a single hit across three innings with four strikeouts and one walk, and it looked like he could be a key part of this bullpen in 2026.
Nationals Move on From Julian Fernandez
However, before the start of the campaign, the Nationals optioned Fernandez to Triple-A Rochester. They later recalled him to the big league roster on April 20, and he made three appearances during that stint. He was solid once again with just one earned run allowed on four hits across four innings with three strikeouts and two walks, but Washington sent him back down to the minors before they designated him for assignment and eventually released him.
This decision is an interesting one. Fernandez had good numbers with the Nationals in his handful of major league outings, and considering this bullpen is volatile when it comes to performance, deciding to outright release him is a bit strange. However, this new regime didn't add him to the organization back in 2025, so they might not view him as a long-term piece of their puzzle. And since they had to make a corresponding move to claim the high-upside Lara off waivers, they must have felt it was best to cut ties with Fernandez.
Other Depth Bullpen Options for Nationals
One of the reasons why Washington might have been comfortable enough to part ways with Fernandez is the fact that they have quite a few depth options down in Triple-A already. Of course, Riley Cornelio is the first one who comes to mind since he has been called up for two big league stints this year. But there are others at Rochester, too.
Andre Granillo hasn't had success this year, but he has MLB experience. Cole Henry could be added back to the major league bullpen at any time. So could Zak Kent after he made his big league debut. And if the Nationals were really in a bind, they could turn to Andry Lara, Zach Penrod and others who aren't on the 40-man roster.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai