The Nationals chose to protect four prospects, all pitchers, from being lost in the upcoming Rule 5 draft. To do so, they cut ties with three players who ended the season on their major league roster, most notably first baseman Dominic Smith.

Smith and right-hander Cory Abbott were both designated for assignment today, with reliever Andrés Machado granted his unconditional release as well to pursue opportunities in Japan. The team then used those three open slots, plus one that already was open, to add left-handers DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker, plus right-handers Cole Henry and Zach Brzykcy, to their 40-man roster. That ensures none of those four prospects can be lost in next month’s Rule 5 draft.

The decision to drop Smith came as the biggest surprise of the day, considering the manner in which club officials spoke up the first baseman’s defensive value and clubhouse leadership this season in spite of his offensive struggles. Signed for $2 million last winter after the Mets chose not to tender him a contract, Smith hit .254/.326/.366 with 12 homers, 46 RBIs and a .692 OPS in 153 games for the Nats. Six of his 12 homers came in September alone, leaving the 28-year-old with some hope he had solved the power woes he endured for the majority of the season.

Even with those woes at the plate, Smith was lauded for his glove work at first base, where he produced five Defensive Runs Saved and was a calming influence for young infielders CJ Abrams, Luis García and Carter Kieboom.

Smith was eligible for arbitration and was projected to make roughly $4 million through that process. Now, the Nationals will be in the market for a new first baseman for the second straight offseason, likely prioritizing power from that corner position to help bolster a lineup that hit a National League-worst 151 homers this year. They could also move Joey Meneses full-time to first base and seek a new designated hitter.

PLAYER REVIEW: ANDRES MACHADO

Age on Opening Day 2024: 30

How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, February 2021

MLB service time: 2 years, 23 days

2023 salary: $720,000

For 94 consecutive games, Davey Martinez filled out a lineup that featured one of two names in the leadoff position: Lane Thomas or CJ Abrams. Since mid-May, there hadn’t been any reason for the Nationals manager to consider anyone else for that job.

But when both Thomas and Abrams needed the night off Tuesday, Martinez was left to select another name for one of the most prominent roles on the team. He chose Jacob Young, knowing the rookie had led off all year in the minors, not to mention throughout the majority of his baseball life.

And though there wasn’t much positive to take away from an 11-5 loss to the Mets, the young leadoff man’s performance did qualify.

Young wound up going 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, a double and two runs scored, showing off both his bat and his legs in a solid all-around game.

“He got ready a little earlier tonight, looking for balls in the strike zone,” Martinez said. “He laid off some really good pitches. I’ve known that about him. He’s really good about that, and he’s been leading off his whole career. We’ll see, if Lane can’t play tomorrow, we might let him lead off again.”

The Nationals’ bullpen usage was going to catch up to them eventually. After using six relievers to secure last night’s win over the Phillies, manager Davey Martinez needed either an extended outing from his starter or a big lead in the late innings.

He got one of those two in the form of Jake Irvin’s impressive six shutout innings. But with only a three-run lead going into the seventh, Martinez had to use either relievers running on fumes or arms he wouldn’t normally call upon late in close games. In this instance, it was Cory Abbott.

“We used every pitcher we had," Martinez said of the state of his bullpen after the game. "Cory was gonna pitch. It just didn't work out for him today.”

Although the day started out well for the Nats, the end result was a tough 12-3 loss in front of a sellout crowd of 38,853 who soaked in today’s beautiful weather in the District.

Handed a 3-0 lead after Irvin’s strong performance and RBIs from Joey Meneses and Riley Adams off lefty Cristopher Sánchez, the Nats bullpen faltered against this tough Phillies lineup. Jose A. Ferrer, pitching for the fourth time in five days, gave up a walk and single with one out in the seventh. After a forceout at second put runners on the corners, Andrés Machado, pitching for the third straight day, served up a three-run home run to Nick Castellanos, leaving this game suddenly tied.

As he sauntered off the mound, having just struck out a $300 million hitter to strand the bases loaded and preserve a two-run lead for his team, Andrés Machado looked every bit the part of an established, high leverage, big league reliever. He did not look anything like a guy who had been designated for assignment by the Nationals twice in the last year.

How far Machado has come in a short amount of time, having survived a roller coaster of a season to emerge now as one of the Nats’ most trusted arms to get big outs late in games. And none was as big as the one he got Friday night during an 8-7 victory over the Phillies.

Summoned out of the bullpen with two on, one out and the middle of the order coming up in the top of the seventh, Machado proceeded to strike out Nick Castellanos before walking Bryson Stott to load the bases and bring Trea Turner to the plate.

Turner may be having a hugely disappointing debut season in Philadelphia after signing a monster contract, but the former Nationals star is still capable of changing a game with one swing. So when Machado got ahead in the count 1-2 and then got Turner to whiff at a slider, he reacted the only way he knew how: Walking off the mound like a guy who believes he’s the best.

“I was getting ready for the moment,” he said. “I’ve been pitching in that kind of situation, and I just prepared myself for that situation. I tried to do my best, and I saved that run.”

PHILADELPHIA – Andrés Machado wasn’t really supposed to be in this situation. And if he was going to be, a lot of things would have to go right for him, starting with his own production.

The right-hander, who posted a respectable 3.41 ERA in 95 innings over 91 games for the Nationals between 2021-22, was the odd man out when Corey Dickerson signed in January. The reliever was designated for assignment to make room for the veteran outfielder on the roster.

Machado cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Rochester. He only pitched in 10 games the season with the Red Wings before the Nats selected his contract to the big league roster.

The first part of the season was rough for the 30-year-old. Over his first 14 games, he pitched to an 8.47 ERA, .347 batting average against and 1.037 OPS against with five walks and six homers in 17 innings.

The Nationals designated him for assignment again when they recalled Jordan Weems from Rochester in early June. This time, Machado had the option to elect free agency after clearing waivers. He chose instead to accept an assignment back with Rochester to stay in Washington’s system.

PHILADELPHIA – After an 8-4 loss in the doubleheader opener – in which the Phillies hit four home runs to the Nationals’ two – the plan for Washington in the nightcap was simple: keep the ball in the yard. And if you can continue to hit them out yourself, even better.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, home runs played a big role in the second game.

The Nationals were able to homer to take an early lead, homer to tie the game late and then homer to win 5-4 in the nightcap in front of 40,264 fans at Citizens Bank Park.

"As I always say, this team just keeps battling," manager Davey Martinez said after the second game. "You play hard for 27 outs, anything can happen in this ballpark. You just got to try to get the ball in the air."

Facing a 4-2 deficit thanks to a Bryce Harper two-run home run and Bryson Stott RBI single in the fifth, Joey Meneses responded with a two-run shot of his own in the seventh.

When the Nationals left Wrigley Field on July 19, they did so with a bullpen in shambles.

Hunter Harvey had just joined an injured list that already included Carl Edwards Jr. The rest of the group featured one established late-inning arm in Kyle Finnegan, a once-promising setup man now in the midst of massive slump in Mason Thompson and a bunch of other inexperienced and ineffective pitchers who had just endured through a nightmare of a series.

Over the course of their last two games against the Cubs, Nationals relievers had collectively surrendered 20 earned runs on 18 hits and seven walks in only 5 2/3 innings of work. They twice turned competitive, low-scoring games into lopsided blowouts.

At that point, all Davey Martinez could do was acknowledge the situation he was in, and hope things would improve with time and experience.

“They’re going to get another opportunity,” the manager insisted after an embarrassing 17-3 loss. “Many more opportunities. Hopefully they bounce back and learn from today.”

The Nationals brought in some bullpen reinforcement ahead of this afternoon’s finale against the Rockies.

Andrés Machado had his contract selected from Triple-A Rochester, Amos Willingham was optioned down to Rochester and Victor Robles was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

After starting the season in Rochester, Machado, 30, posted an 8.47 ERA and 1.765 WHIP in 17 innings over 14 major league appearances this season. He was designated for assignment on June 5 when Jordan Weems was recalled.

The right-hander struggled with his command in his short time with Washington. He gave up 25 hits, six home runs, five walks, a balk and a wild pitch while only striking out 12.

With the Red Wings, he has a 4.08 ERA and 1.186 WHIP in 28 ⅔ innings over 24 outings.

The Nationals made the first of what could be several moves in coming days to address a bullpen that has become the roster’s weakest link, designating Andrés Machado for assignment and recalling Jordan Weems from Triple-A Rochester.

Machado, who was tagged for four runs and gave up a pair of killer homers during Sunday’s loss to the Phillies, was out of options and couldn’t be demoted to the minor leagues without first clearing waivers. The Nationals will wait to see if the 30-year-old clears, but because he already went through this process last winter he’ll have the right to refuse an outright assignment to Triple-A and could elect to become a free agent instead.

A somewhat consistently effective bullpen arm for the Nationals in 2021-22, Machado had a 3.41 ERA and 1.326 WHIP across 91 appearances. But after opening this season in Rochester and making his return to the majors in late April, he struggled. In 14 games, he finished with an 8.47 ERA and 1.765 WHIP.

“It’s a tough move,” manager Davey Martinez said. “I really like Machado, and he’s got good stuff. It’s just his location was not good, and he was getting hit really hard.”

A Nats bullpen that performed well in 2022 and entered this season as a perceived strength has instead turned into a major cause for concern. The group enters tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks with a National League-worst 4.73 ERA and 1.433 WHIP.

The entire weekend seemed to have been building up to this moment, with Kyle Schwarber stepping to the plate for the Phillies in a big spot in a close ballgame and Davey Martinez left to decide which of his Nationals pitchers to entrust against the veteran slugger.

Martinez’s options with two on and two out in the top of the sixth this afternoon were Trevor Williams, who had already thrown 101 pitches and was attempting to complete six innings for only the third time in 12 starts this year, or a member of his bullpen.

It should’ve been an easy call. Just walk toward the mound, stick out your left arm and tap it a couple times with your right hand.

The problem: The Nationals don’t have any left-handers in their eight-man bullpen. They haven’t had one since April 30, when Anthony Banda (owner of a 6.43 ERA) was designated for assignment.

Martinez has been left to tempt fate for the last five weeks, hoping his various right-handers can get the job done against the league’s best lefty sluggers. Sometimes, it’s worked out fine. Today, it turned into disaster.

LOS ANGELES – There was a moment in the top of the seventh tonight that left a crowd of 46,571 at Dodger Stadium booing the home club for letting the Nationals claw their way back into a game that felt like it had already been decided for the boys in white uniforms and royal blue caps.

The names in the visiting dugout have long since changed from those who occupied that same space 3 1/2 years ago, when the stakes were far greater but the sentiment from the L.A. crowd was the same. How could Dave Roberts’ star-studded team let Davey Martinez’s brand of upstarts spoil their predestined celebration?

Alas, it wasn’t to be on this night. Despite rallying in the top of the seventh to get back within a run, the Nationals gave it right back to the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning and then a bunch more in the eighth, and were ultimately left to accept a 9-3 loss, their third straight.

"A team like that, I feel like you tack on a few and you give them a little glimpse of a chance to get back in the game, and they take advantage of it," outfielder Lane Thomas said. "That's the difference between the really good teams in the league and the teams that are not at that level yet."

The boys could take some comfort in the way they battled back from an early 4-1 deficit. When Roberts pulled a dominant Tony Gonsolin after six innings and only 70 pitches, the Nats took full advantage. They got a leadoff homer from Keibert Ruiz off Alex Vesia to open the seventh, then a two-out double from Thomas and an RBI single from Luis García to make it 4-3 and make the natives more than a little restless.

Jake Irvin did his part in his major league debut to give the Nationals a chance to win. His teammates then did just enough to actually emerge with the win.

CJ Abrams drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh for the second straight night, and the Nats bullpen tossed 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball following Irvin’s solid-if-abbreviated first career start to beat the Cubs, 2-1, and ensure at least a split of this four-game series.

Called up from Triple-A Rochester to make his debut five years after the organization selected him from the University of Oklahoma in the fourth round of the draft, Irvin survived some occasionally erratic command to hold Chicago’s lineup to one run before departing with one out in the fifth.

The 26-year-old right-hander was rated the Nationals’ 20th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline. He wound up outperforming several far more highly touted pitchers who have come and gone over the years, and gave club officials enough reason to want to see more of him.

"This is something you dream of since the day you pick up a baseball," he said. "I'm on top of the world. And props to the team, man. The guys played great behind me."

On the heels of a doubleheader sweep that taxed their bullpen, the Nationals made their first performance-based roster move of the season this morning, designating Anthony Banda for assignment and purchasing Andrés Machado’s contract from Triple-A Rochester.

The transaction gives the Nats a fresh arm who can throw multiple innings today if needed in Machado, who threw 26 pitches for the Red Wings on Friday but did not appear in Saturday’s game. The 30-year-old had a 2.92 ERA, 1.216 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings to begin his season.

No stranger to the Nationals bullpen, Machado owns a 3.41 ERA and 1.326 WHIP in 91 relief appearances over the last two seasons. He closed out his 2022 campaign with zero earned runs allowed over his final 19 2/3 innings, but the Nats dropped him from their 40-man roster in January because he was out of options and they needed to open a spot for recently signed outfielder Corey Dickerson.

Machado cleared waivers, though, and re-signed with the Nationals on a minor league deal a week later. He performed well in spring training, allowing only two batters to reach base in four Grapefruit League innings sandwiched around his stint pitching for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, but his contract status left him to open the season at Triple-A instead of the majors.

Throughout the process, manager Davey Martinez assured the right-hander he would be back in D.C. sooner rather than later. His time came today with the departure of Banda, who struggled throughout the season’s first month.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Nationals made six more cuts this afternoon, bringing the number of remaining healthy players in camp down to the requisite 26 but leaving open the possibility of acquiring someone from outside the organization to fill out their bench or bullpen before the Opening Day roster is officially set.

Right-hander Paolo Espino and infielder Jeter Downs were optioned to Triple-A Rochester, while relievers Alex Colomé, Andrés Machado and Wily Peralta were reassigned to minor league camp.

First baseman Matt Adams, meanwhile, was informed he won’t be making the club but is still deciding whether he will accept an invitation from manager Davey Martinez to come with the team to D.C. for Tuesday’s exhibition finale against the Yankees and whether he will report to Rochester or become a free agent.

Those moves seemed to set the Opening Day roster, with infielder Michael Chavis winning the final spot on the bench and Anthony Banda, Thaddeus Ward, Mason Thompson and Hobie Harris filling the last four spots in the bullpen. But Martinez insisted the roster is not set in stone yet and said he has not informed any of those players they’ve made the club yet.

“There’s no set roster right now,” Martinez said. “We still have decisions to make. We probably won’t make any decisions until we go back to D.C.”

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – If the Nationals were choosing the final four pitchers to make their Opening Day bullpen based strictly on spring training stats, the decision would be fairly simple.

Andres Machado (zero runs, zero walks in four innings), Hobie Harris (one run, three hits in nine innings), Paolo Espino (one run in eight innings), Thaddeus Ward (four runs, 12 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings) and Mason Thompson (three runs in seven innings) have performed the best among the relievers competing down to the wire.

Alex Colomé (six runs, 19 baserunners in 9 2/3 innings), Anthony Banda (seven runs in 11 innings) and Wily Peralta (12 earned runs, 24 baserunners in 9 2/3 innings) have not.

Opening Day roster decisions, however, aren’t as simple as that. It’s not just about spring training numbers. It’s about track records. It’s about contract statuses. It’s about who has minor league options.

And ultimately, it’s about keeping as many pitchers in your organization as you can, knowing you’re going to need them all at some point during the long season.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Andres Machado walked into The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Sunday morning, only hours after he left loanDepot Park in Miami, and sought out Davey Martinez. The Nationals reliever, whose Venezuelan club had just been eliminated by the United States from the World Baseball Classic the previous night, wanted his manager to know he wanted to pitch again as soon as possible.

“I was looking for Davey and told him I’m ready to pitch today, because I had like four days (without pitching in the WBC),” Machado said. “So I’m ready if you need me, and he said yeah we’ve got a spot for you today.”

Machado would find himself trotting in from the bullpen for the top of the ninth inning against the Tigers. And then he would find himself returning to the dugout having dominated.

The 29-year-old right-hander faced three Detroit batters. He struck out all three. He got Roberto Campos looking at a changeup, then got Andrew Knapp swinging at a fastball, then got Donny Sands swinging at a slider.

Not bad for a first spring training appearance in more than a week.

JUPITER, Fla. – The handful of competitions in Nationals camp this spring involve the bullpen and bench. General manager Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez have a multitude of ways they could go about deciding who makes the Opening Day roster and who doesn’t, and today they’ll get their first look at several of the competitors.

The Nats bullpen can probably be divided into two categories: Late-inning specialists and multi-inning arms. The former group is mostly set, with Kyle Finnegan, Carl Edwards Jr., Hunter Harvey and Sean Doolittle (if healthy) all but assured of making the club. The latter group is more wide-open.

Only Erasmo Ramirez has a guaranteed contract. Paolo Espino, Cory Abbott, Mason Thompson, Jordan Weems and Victor Arano all have minor league options. Thaddeus Ward, a Rule 5 draftee, must remain on the big league roster or be offered back to the Red Sox. Alex Colomé and Andres Machado are trying to make the team off minor league deals.

The big question, ultimately, may be this: How many multi-inning relievers do the Nationals want to keep?

“It’s going to be a competition, because we have so many of those guys,” Martinez said. “But I like them all.”

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Sixty-seven players (27 of those non-roster invitees) will participate in big league camp for the Nationals this spring, a list that includes a combination of familiar names of the past and newcomers looking to make a name for themselves for the first time.

With the first official workout of spring training underway this afternoon, the Nats announced their full list of non-roster invitees to major league camp. Among those here are 11 players who have been in the majors with the team before: pitchers Sean Doolittle, Andres Machado, Evan Lee, Jackson Tetreault, Francisco Perez, Alberto Baldonado and Tommy Romero; first baseman Matt Adams; infielder Lucius Fox; and outfielders Yadiel Hernández and Donovan Casey.

Doolittle, who returns on a minor league deal after missing the majority of 2022 with an elbow injury, and Adams, who is back with the club three years after winning a World Series ring, are familiar veterans hoping to force their way onto the Opening Day roster.

The others all were in the big leagues at some point in the last two seasons but were designated for assignment and dropped off the 40-man roster. They’ll now attempt to make it back, albeit as non-roster invitees.

The Nationals added several veterans this winter with major league experience on minor league contracts, headlined by pitchers Wily Peralta, Alex Colomé and Chad Kuhl; plus infielder Michael Chavis.

Corey Dickerson’s major league debut came June 22, 2013, when the then-24-year-old started in right field and batted sixth for the Rockies on a Saturday afternoon in Washington. He doubled twice, helped his team to a 7-1 victory and thought to himself: “This is a nice ballpark.”

“I remember like it was yesterday,” Dickerson said Tuesday, nearly a decade later. “It was amazing. I still remember that first at-bat and just walking out on the field for the first time. I felt like this is what the big leagues is all about. I always remember the Nats’ stadium because of that.”

Dickerson will get a chance to make some new memories at Nationals Park this season, his winding career having now brought him to D.C. as a member of the home team after stops in Colorado, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Miami, Toronto and St. Louis. Now 33, he signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the Nats on Tuesday and figures to open the season as their starting left fielder, playing mostly against right-handed pitching.

It’s been a winding path for Dickerson, not only in the stops he’s made but in the different types of player he’s been along the way. He mashed 24-plus homers in three different seasons early in his career. He won a Gold Glove Award in 2018. He hit .304 with a .906 OPS in 2019. Then while battling injuries and reduced playing time, he focused more on being a good contact hitter in recent years.

Some might look down upon a guy who has worn seven different uniforms the last seven seasons. Dickerson, though, doesn’t view it as a negative.