Washington Nationals Recall John Lannan To Start Tonight; Reinstate And DFA Xavier Nady.

For the second time this week, after the decision to designate veteran outfielder Rick Ankiel, the Washington Nationals DFA'd a veteran bench player. Xavier Nady, 33, who had a .157/.211/.275 line with three doubles and three home runs in 40 games and 109 PA's was reinstated from the DL (right wrist tendinitis) after a rehab assignment and then DFA'd this morning. The veteran of 11 major league seasons was signed by the Nationals in mid-March and surprised many by making the Opening Day roster.

The Nationals also made official this morning what Davey Johnson told reporters earlier this week would happen before this afternoon's doubleheader with the Atlanta Braves. 27-year-old left-hander John Lannan was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and he'll make his 2012 MLB debut tonight in the second game of two with the Atlanta Braves in Nationals Park. Lannan, who surprised many when he didn't make the Nats' Opening Day roster out of Spring Training, with Washington instead opting to put Ross Detwiler in the rotation, was (6-9) in 18 starts for the Nats' Triple-A affiate in Syracuse, posting a 4.89 ERA, 5.05 FIP, 39 walks and 59 K's in 106.2 IP. Once Lannan was informed this past Spring that he'd be starting the season in the minors, after five seasons in the Nationals' rotation, the '05 11th Round pick requested a trade, but he's still mentioned as a possible late-season replacement for Stephen Strasburg when the right-hander is eventually shut down for the year in his first full-season back from Tommy John surgery.

Lannan will make his first start of the year and his 129th career major league start in the 7:00 pm EDT game with Atlanta tonight in Nationals Park.