The Nationals announced a pair of roster moves Sunday morning ahead of their 1:35 contest with the Pirates, as they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Andres Machado from Triple-A Rochester and have designated left-hander Anthony Banda for assignment.
Banda, who’s with his fifth team in three seasons now, slated a 6.43 ERA (5 ER in 7 IP), 6.08 FIP, and a 6.43 BB/9 across 10 relief outings with the Nationals this season.
The 29-year-old southpaw has a 5.69 ERA across his seven-year, 90-outing big-league career — playing for the Yankees, Pirates, Blue Jays, Mets, Rays, and Diamondbacks over that span. Milwaukee’s 2012 10th-round pick signed a minor-league deal with Washington this offseason and made Washington’s Opening Day 26-man roster.
Someone Banda beat out for an Opening Day bullpen spot was Machado, as the 30-year-old pitched to a 3.34 ERA and a 4.51 FIP in 51 appearances out of the Nats’ bullpen last season but began the season with the Red Wings.
With Rochester, Machado held a 2.92 ERA (4 ER in 12.1 IP) to go along with a 1.53 FIP while notching an impressive rate of 11.58 strikeouts per nine.
The Nationals have seven days to either trade, waive, or release Banda. If he passes waivers, he can be sent to Triple-A Rochester.
