Washington Nationals pitcher Cionel Perez Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Nationals Reportedly Make Important Roster Decision Regarding Cionel Perez

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 5:20 PM ET

The Washington Nationals are getting closer to finalizing their Opening Day roster.

On Monday, it was announced that oufielder Christian Franklin and right-hander pitcher Orlando Ribalta had both been optioned to Triple-A Rochester. This duo was in a competition for roster spots, but the Nationals decided it would be best for them to begin the 2026 season in the minors.

That leaves some dwindling options for who will be heading out to the Midwest when Washington takes on the Chicago Cubs on March 26 for Opening Day. However, according to MLB insider Francys Romero, the Nationals' decision makers have made up their mind on the status of veteran reliever Cionel Perez and will be adding him to the 26-man roster.

Cionel Perez Will Reportedly Make Nationals Roster

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Signed to a minor league deal on Feb. 16, there were questions regarding how the veteran left-hander would look this spring. He was coming off his worst full season in the bigs with an 8.31 ERA across his 19 outings that caused the Baltimore Orioles to designate him for assignment and even put him on the developmental list last year.

But after giving Perez a shot, Washington is ready for the established reliever to be part of their bullpen to start the 2026 campaign. That comes after a strong performance during spring training where he gave up no runs and just two hits across seven innings in seven appearances. He also rung up seven batters and walked just one, proving that he got his control back a bit.

The hope is Perez will be a massive addition to this Nationals bullpen. Prior to his issues last season, he was a staple for the Orioles with ERA figures of 1.40 in 2022, 3.54 in 2023 and 4.53 in 2024. While those numbers steadily increased, he made 60-plus appearances in each of those campaigns, which is something Washington would welcome if he gets back to the version he once was.

Additional Roster Cut Will Have to Be Made to Make Room for Perez

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Because Perez is not on the 40-man roster, if the reporting is accurate and the Nationals are planning to add the lefty to their Opening Day group, then an additional cut will have to be made to make room for Perez.

Who that might be is anyone's guess. While Ribalta and Franklin were optioned to Triple-A Rochester, they still remain on the 40-man roster. Following the surprise acquisition of Jorbit Vivas on Sunday when Washington shipped out top 30 pitching prospect Sean Paul Linan to the New York Yankees to bring him in, there is a chance that Jose Tena could be on the outside looking in.

Nothing official has been announced yet by the Nationals, so until that happens, everything is speculative. However, it sounds like Perez is going to be part of the Opening Day roster and will give this bullpen group a crucial veteran arm with major upside.

This article first appeared on Washington Nationals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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