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Littell agreed to a one-year contract with the Nationals on Sunday, Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
The right-hander produced a 3.81 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 130:32 K:BB across 186.2 regular-season innings between the Rays and Reds last season, but he was unable to secure a contract for 2026 until well after the start of spring training. There's now less than three weeks until Opening Day, so Littell doesn't have a ton of time to get built up for the start of the season. Once ready to go, the 30-year-old Littell should step in as Washington's staff ace with Cade Cavalli and Josiah Gray otherwise positioned at the top of the rotation.
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Nationals' Daylen Lile: Pops first spring homer
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Lile went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
The blast was Lile's first of the spring, coming in the seventh inning off Kai-Wei Teng. The 23-year-old had a breakout in 2025, posting an .880 OPS over 47 games in the high minors before making his big-league debut in late May and slashing .299/.347/.498 with nine homers and eight steals over 91 contests for the Nationals. Lile should see consistent playing time right out of the gate in 2026, splitting his time between DH and the outfield corners as part of a promising young outfield group in Washington that also includes James Wood and Dylan Crews.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Dominant in Friday's start
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Cavalli allowed one unearned run on one hit over four innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out six without walking a batter.
The 27-year-old right-hander carved up a top-heavy Houston lineup that featured Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, flashing a fastball that topped out at 98.6 mph. Cavalli has never been able to capitalize on the upside that made him a first-round pick in 2020, largely due to injuries, but he's on track to be the Opening Day starter for the rebuilding Nationals this season. Over 10 starts and 48.2 innings in 2025, Cavalli managed a 4.25 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 40:15 K:BB.
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Nationals' Riley Cornelio: Sent out of big-league camp
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The Nationals optioned Cornelio to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.
Cornelio impressed in his limited Grapefruit League action with a 7:0 BB:K while holding batters to a .176 average over five innings, but having minor-league options remaining may have worked against his bid for a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 25-year-old righty is likely to remain on a starter's development track at Rochester, though poor command and the lack of a deep arsenal could make him a better fit in the bullpen once he reaches the big leagues.
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Nationals' Luis Perales: Heading out of big-league camp
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The Nationals optioned Perales to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.
Perales is still waiting to make his MLB debut, but his presence on the Nationals' 40-man roster boosts his chances of contributing to the big club at some point in 2026. The 22-year-old right-hander was limited to just three appearances in the minors last season as he completed his recovery from July 2024 Tommy John surgery. The Nationals will likely keep him stretched out as a starter at Rochester, but if he receives a call-up to the majors in 2026, he could work out of the bullpen in order to manage his workload.
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Nationals' Orelvis Martinez: Dispatched to minor-league camp
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The Nationals reassigned Martinez to minor-league camp Sunday.
Formerly a top prospect in the Blue Jays organization, Martinez has seen his stock fall dramatically since being handed an 80-game suspension for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy shortly after he made his MLB debut in June 2024. After struggling mightily with Triple-A Buffalo last season, the Blue Jays released him in September, with the Nationals bringing him aboard on a minor-league deal shortly thereafter. Martinez didn't make enough of an impression in spring training to win a spot on the Opening Day roster, but if the 24-year-old can find his swing at Triple-A Rochester in 2026, he could put himself in the mix for a call-up.
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Nationals' Sergio Alcantara: Removed from big-league camp
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The Nationals reassigned Alcantara to minor-league camp Sunday.
Alcantara logged four plate appearances with the Giants last season in his first MLB action since 2022, but he was outrighted off the 40-man roster in July and ended up finishing the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Reno in the Arizona organization. He caught on with the Nationals on a minor-league deal in January but fell short in his bid for a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 29-year-old is likely to report to Triple-A Rochester to begin the upcoming season.
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Nationals' Foster Griffin: Effective in spring debut
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Griffin gave up two hits and a walk over two scoreless innings in Wednesday's exhibition game against Team Venezuela. He struck out one.
Seeing his first game action of the spring, the 30-year-old left-hander tossed just 15 strikes on 29 pitches but avoided any damage against a star-studded lineup headlined by the likes of Ronald Acuna, Jackson Chourio and Salvador Perez. Griffin is expected to break camp in the Nationals' rotation after signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal to return to MLB from Japan, and the addition of a split-finger fastball to his low-velocity arsenal could allow him to handle a regular turn, or transition to a swingman role if Washington gets unexpected contributions from younger arms.
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Nationals' Jacob Young: Not hitting due to wrist issue
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The Nationals announced Wednesday that Young hasn't been cleared for hitting while he tends to a right wrist contusion, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Young has been managing the wrist issue since being hit by a pitch during batting practice Feb. 18, but he appeared to have moved past the injury after he made his Grapefruit League debut last Friday against the Astros. However, Young hasn't been included in any of the Nationals' spring lineups since then, with the bruised wrist apparently still presenting some complications. The Nationals are seemingly hopeful that Young will be ready to resume hitting after a few more days of rest, but any further setbacks or plateauing in the recovery process could put his availability in jeopardy for Opening Day.
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Nationals' Trevor Williams: Starts throwing again
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The Nationals announced that Williams (elbow) has resumed his throwing progression and made 25 tosses from 60 feet Wednesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Washington had shut down Williams at the onset of spring training when he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired right elbow, but a follow-up MRI apparently revealed nothing too concerning. After a brief rest period, Williams is now in the process of ramping back up again, but a clearer timeline for his 2026 debut with the Nationals won't come into focus until he resumes facing hitters and embarks on what will likely be a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment. At the very least, Williams will remain shelved for the first two months of the season after Washington placed him on its 60-day injured list Feb. 10.
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Nationals' DJ Herz: In midst of throwing program
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The Nationals announced Wednesday that Herz (elbow) is continuing to progress in his throwing program, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Back on Feb. 21, MLB.com reported that Herz had been playing catch at a distance up to 150 feet, but it's unclear if he remains limited to throwing off flat ground or if he's since graduated to throwing off a mound. Regardless, after landing on the 60-day injured list, Herz is slated to miss the first two months of the 2026 campaign -- and likely some additional time beyond that -- while he continues to work his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent April 16, 2025.
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Nationals' Warming Bernabel: Falls short in roster battle
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The Nationals reassigned Bernabel to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Pushed off the Rockies' 40-man roster in the offseason after posting a .698 OPS in 146 plate appearances with the big club in 2025, Bernabel caught on with the Nationals on a minor-league deal in December. Though Washington is heading into 2026 without an established everyday option at first base, Bernabel apparently didn't make a compelling enough of a case for a spot on the Opening Day roster, despite going 3-for-9 with a walk and no strikeouts over his first five Grapefruit League games. Bernabel should be in line for an everyday role in the corner infield at Triple-A Rochester to begin the season.
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Nationals' Shinnosuke Ogasawara: Dispatched to MiLB camp
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The Nationals reassigned Ogasawara to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Ogasawara will earn $2 million in 2026 after signing a two-year deal with the Nationals in January 2025, but the left-hander no longer possesses a spot on the 40-man roster after Washington outrighted him earlier in the offseason. After coming over from Japan last winter, Ogasawara posted a 6.98 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 30:17 K:BB over 38.2 innings across 23 appearances (two starts) with Washington.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: Rejoins spring lineup
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Crews (thumb) will start in center field and bat sixth in Wednesday's exhibition versus Team Venezuela.
Crews injured his left thumb during live batting practice Saturday, but after three days off to let the bruised digit heal, he's made enough progress to rejoin the Nationals' spring lineup. Through his first four Grapefruit League games, the 24-year-old has gone 1-for-9 with a 1:3 BB:K, two runs and one RBI.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Lofts first spring homer
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Ruiz went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
The 27-year-old switch hitter launched his first long ball of the spring from the left side, as he took Bryan Abreu deep in the fourth inning on a 96 mph fastball. Ruiz is coming off a rough 2025 that was cut short after 68 games by concussion issues, and he's locked in a camp battle for the starting job at catcher with prospect Harry Ford, who was acquired from the Mariners in December.
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Nationals' Josiah Gray: Finally back on mound Monday
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Gray gave up one run on two hits over 1.2 innings during Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out three without walking a batter.
He was wilder than the line would suggest, uncorking one wild pitch and plunking two Houston batters, but it was still a mostly successful spring debut for Gray after he missed most of 2024 and 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. The right-hander popped 94 mph with his first fastball of the day, and while he unsurprisingly couldn't maintain that velocity, he liberally deployed his slider, sweeper and curveball among his 39 pitches (25 strikes). Given the long layoff, Gray will be a risky fantasy option this season, but the Nationals are counting on him to at least take a regular turn in the rotation.
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Nationals' Andry Lara: Sent to minor-league camp
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The Nationals reassigned Lara to minor-league camp Monday.
Washington outrighted Lara to the minors in January, but the 23-year-old righty still received an invitation to big-league camp to begin spring training. Lara made eight appearances out of the Washington bullpen in 2025, though he'll likely have a tougher time resurfacing in the majors this season now that he's no longer on the 40-man roster.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: X-rays on thumb are negative
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Crews is considered day-to-day after X-rays on his left thumb came back negative, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Crews was hit on the thumb by a pitch during live batting practice Saturday and was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins as a result. He'll remain out of the lineup Monday against the Astros but should be back in action in a day or two. Crews has gone 1-for-9 with a 1:3 BB:K in his first four contests during the Grapefruit League.
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Nationals' Brady House: Keeps slugging Saturday
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House went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.
The 22-year-old third baseman has been swinging a hot bat to begin spring training. Through four games, House has gone 5-for-11 with two doubles and two homers while posting a 0:3 BB:K. Plate discipline remains a concern after he posted an atrocious 8:78 BB:K in 274 plate appearances during his big-league debut last season, helping drag down his .234/.252/.322 slash line, but House has power potential if he can learn to make more consistent contact.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: Scratched with sore thumb
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The Nationals scratched Crews from the lineup for Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins due to left thumb soreness.
Christian Franklin was added to the starting nine as a replacement for Crews in right field and as the Nationals' No. 3 batter. Assuming that he isn't dealing with a fracture or ligament damage to his thumb, Crews will likely check back into the lineup within the next few days. The 24-year-old outfielder has gone 1-for-9 with one walk, two runs and one RBI through his first four Grapefruit League contests.
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