The Nationals added a left-handed arm to their bullpen Friday, acquiring Reiver Sanmartin from the Giants in exchange for Minor League right-hander Robert Cranz.
In a corresponding move to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, Washington designated right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas for assignment. The Nationals' 40-man roster stands at 40.
Sanmartin, 30, went 3-0 with a 4.22 ERA, seven walks and 16 strikeouts in 24 relief appearances for San Francisco in 2026.
The Cartagena, Colombia, native was particularly effective at generating ground balls, ranking second in the Majors with a 63.8% ground-ball rate among pitchers with at least 20 innings, building on his 60% mark in ‘25.
Opposing left-handed hitters managed just two extra-base hits against Sanmartin in 2026.
Sanmartin also finished the season on a strong note. Over his final 19 appearances, beginning Aug. 11, he posted a 1.69 ERA across 16 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .186 batting average and allowing no home runs.
The addition gives Washington another left-handed bullpen option after its bullpen finished with the third-highest ERA (4.99) across MLB. The pitching staff as a whole finished 2026 with a 4.67 ERA, the fifth highest in the Majors.
Sanmartin has pitched in parts of five Major League seasons with the Reds (four seasons) and Giants, compiling a 5.37 ERA across 86 appearances, including six starts.