Nationals Open 40-Man Roster Spot by Requesting Release Waivers for Reliever

The Washington Nationals have an open spot on their 40-man roster.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals were already thin in their bullpen after that unit finished the 2025 regular season with the worst ERA in baseball, and now they have seen some departures this winter.

Trading away Jose A. Ferrer to the Seattle Mariners was a bit of a surprise since he was projected to take over their primary closer role. However, the Nationals were able to net star catching prospect Harry Ford, who looks like he is the backstop of the franchise's future. So that was a deal that could benefit Washington in the long run.

However, on Friday, the team announced they requested unconditional release waivers for right-handed reliever Sauryn Lao so he could pursue an opportunity in Japan with the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball.

The Nationals have requested Unconditional Release Waivers for Sauryn Lao to pursue an opportunity in Japan.
 
The 40-Man Roster is now at 39.

— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) January 9, 2026

Lao began the 2025 season with the Mariners in their minor league system. He made his major league debut on April 22 and performed well by pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings where he gave up three hits, an inherited run and struck out three. But Seattle sent him back down to Triple-A without using him again.

Later in the season, he got another opportunity in August. That didn't go quite as well, as the righty allowed three earned runs on three hits in 1 2/3 innings pitched. That caused the Mariners to designate him for assignment at the start of September.

Washington claimed him off waivers two days later, and after he spent time with Rochester, he was featured in their big league bullpen coming down the final stretch of the campaign. Lao actually performed fairly well for the Nationals with three earned runs allowed across six outings and 7 2/3 innings pitched. But the 26-year-old must have felt like consistent opportunities in The Show wouldn't be there for him, which is why he wanted to pursue pitching overseas.

Nationals Now Have Open 40-Man Roster Spot

Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

By requestion unconditional release waivers for Lao, Washington now has an open spot on their 40-man roster, which will allow them to add someone in free agency or via a waiver claim without having to make a corresponding move.

To date, the Nationals haven't been very active on the open market. However, they do have options within their organization they could choose to promote to the 40-man now that they wouldn't have to pass anyone through waivers to do so.

It will be interesting to see how Washington decides to fill this roster hole, especially with them still needing more bullpen arms before Opening Day arrives.