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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 05: Manager Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals gestures to a player before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The Washington Nationals are currently taking on the Kansas City Royals in a 3-game series this week. Washington has been a surprise team in MLB this season, and if the MLB playoffs were to start tomorrow, the Nationals would be in the playoffs.
Before the series finale against the Royals (Washington is looking for the sweep), the Nationals released one of their pitchers, who happens to also be a former Los Angeles Dodgers player
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Washington Nationals Release Pitcher Julian Fernandez
GettyDENVER, COLORADO – SEPTEMBER 24: Julian Fernandez #30 of the Colorado Rockies throws against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at Coors Field on September 24, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Per a report from MLBTR.com’s Steve Adams, the Nationals announced Wednesday that they’ve requested unconditional release waivers on righty Julian Fernández, whom they’d designated for assignment last week.
Steve Adams also wrote (on 6/17):
“A release was always the likely outcome, given that Fernández was placed on the minor league injured list last month and remained there at the time of his DFA. Injured players cannot be passed through outright waivers, meaning the Nationals’ only alternative was to try to find a trade partner for an injured 30-year-old with minimal MLB track record. That didn’t pan out.”
Julian Fernandez pitched just four innings with the Nationals this season and has pitched in MLB for parts of three seasons, including a 2025 stint with the Dodgers.
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Julian Fernandez’s MLB Career
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 11: Julian Fernandez #30 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 11, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Julian Fernandez is a 30-year-old right-handed reliever.
He made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Colorado Rockies, but then took a three-year hiatus from the Majors. In 2025, he pitched two innings with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and surrendered two earned runs.
Over 15.2 total innings pitched in his career, Julian Fernandez holds an ERA of 6.89. His short stints with the Rockies, Dodgers, and Nationals indicate that some of his underlying stuff just doesn’t play at the big-league level, but it will be interesting to see if Fernandez gets another opportunity with another MLB organization after being granted his release.
Any MLB team can now sign the former Nats/Dodgers pitcher.
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TJ French covers the MLB for Heavy. TJ is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He has 2+ years of writing experience. Follow TJ French on X: @tj_french5 More about TJ French