Solís caught "completely off-guard" by abrupt release

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Sammy Solís' long and often erratic tenure with the Nationals came to an abrupt conclusion this afternoon when the organization that drafted the left-hander nine years ago gave him his unconditional release.

Manager Davey Martinez explained the timing of the move as a reflection of the depth of other bullpen arms currently in camp, but there also was financial incentive behind the transaction. By releasing Solís today, the Nationals are responsible only for one-sixth of his $850,000 contract, which was not guaranteed. They would have owed him more if they had waited until later this month to make the decision.

Opportunistic timing or not, Solís admitted he was blindsided when he was called into Martinez's office after reporting to the clubhouse prior to this evening's exhibition game against the Marlins.

SammySolisSidebar.jpg"Yeah, I would say completely off-guard," he said after packing his bags and saying goodbye to longtime teammates. "It's just obviously part of it. I've seen it happen to a million guys. ... I just really wasn't ready for that. But it's part of it. I'll go shopping around now and find a job."

Solís had pitched well in four Grapefruit League appearances so far this spring; he allowed one run on three hits over four innings, walking one while striking out three.

The Nationals, though, appeared to have seen enough from others in camp to make the 30-year-old expendable.

"I didn't really feel like, at this point in time, that he was going to make the team," Martinez said. "So I thought it would be best if he had an opportunity to go somewhere else to make the team."

The Nationals aren't exactly overloaded with quality left-handers in their bullpen. Sean Doolittle is one of the best relievers in baseball, but he's entrenched as the team's closer and will pitch the ninth inning no matter who is batting for the opposing team. Matt Grace is coming off a strong 2018 season and will be counted on to record important outs.

Martinez, though, mentioned several right-handers who he believes can be equally effective against left-handed batters, including Trevor Rosenthal and Wander Suero. The second-year manager also mentioned non-roster invitee Vidal Nuño III as a potential candidate to make the opening day roster.

"Obviously, Doolittle is your closer," Martinez said. "But Rosenthal can get lefties out. Suero can get lefties out; he has been successful getting lefties out. And so far I like what Nuño has done. So we'll see. We'll see how that transpires."

Former Marlins right-hander Kyle Barraclough also figures to be a lock to make the club, but with righties Koda Glover and Justin Miller currently dealing with injuries there appear to be two roster spots up for grabs.

Solís' release does open up a spot on the 40-man roster should the Nationals choose to add another pitcher from outside the organization, but Martinez was adamant when asked today if he sees seven big league relievers already on the team today.

"I see seven, eight, nine guys," the manager said.

Solís had been one of the organization's longest-tenured players. Originally selected with the first pick of the second round in the 2010 draft - exactly one round behind Bryce Harper - the lefty faced a delay in his quest for the majors due to Tommy John surgery. But he arrived in 2015 and spent the next four seasons as a mostly regular member of the big league staff, posting a 2.74 ERA in 55 appearances from 2015-16.

Things took a downward turn the last two seasons, though, and they bottomed out last summer. Unable to retire left-handed batters with any regularity - they produced a .993 OPS against him - Solís finished with a 6.41 ERA and 1.551 WHIP in 56 games.

That made him a candidate to be non-tendered over the winter, but the Nationals chose to bring him back and give him another shot, with the two sides agreeing to an $850,000 contract. That contract, though, was not guaranteed, and so it left Solís vulnerable to the kind of mid-March release that the Nats had used in the past with players such as John Patterson and Shawn Hill.

Solís wasn't immediately sure of his next course of action, but he may head home to Arizona and continue to work out there while waiting to get a call from another club. He believes he deserves to pitch in the big leagues somewhere, but the reality is now setting in that he won't be doing it anymore for the only organization that had ever employed him.

"It's tough, especially being so fresh," he said. "I mean, 30 minutes ago I had a job, and now I don't. It's just the way it works. Those guys are like brothers to me. I've been with some of them - Grace and (Aaron) Barrett and Michael Taylor - for almost 10 years. Tough saying goodbye to those guys. But I'll see them from another dugout, I'm sure."

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