- May 21, 2026
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The Nationals have acquired left-handed reliever Reiver Sanmartin from the Giants in exchange for minor league right-hander Robert Cranz, per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic.
Sanmartin, 30, posted a 4.22 ERA across 21 1/3 innings with San Francisco in 2026, pairing a modest 17.2% strikeout rate with an elite 63.8% ground-ball rate. The 6'1" southpaw works off a 91.7 mph sinker and mixes in a slider and changeup. He is out of minor league options and must break camp with Washington next spring.
The Nationals control Sanmartin for four more seasons. He crossed two years of major league service time in 2026.
Cranz, 23, was Washington's seventh-round pick in 2024. He struck out over 32% of batters in the minors but has struggled with a 12.6% walk rate, including a rough 20% walk rate in his first Triple-A stint. He features a four-seamer touching 95 mph.
The Giants designated Sanmartin for assignment earlier this week amid roster crunch. San Francisco finished 2026 with 16 players on the 60-day injured list.
Mickey's Angle: Sanmartin's ground-ball wizardry gives the Nats a cheap bullpen arm with team control, but bettors should note his lack of swing-and-miss limits his late-inning upside.
Source: MLB Trade Rumors - written by Mickey the Mouth from the original report.