The Nationals have acquired left-hander Carson Palmquist from the Rockies for cash considerations, both teams announced. The Nats subsequently optioned Palmquist to Triple-A Rochester and shifted right-hander Max Kranick to the 60-day injured list.

Palmquist had been a member of the Rockies organization since the club grabbed him in the third round of the 2022 draft. He consistently ranked among the Rockies’ 30 best prospects at Baseball America since then, topping out at No. 8 in 2025, but was unable to deliver in his lone major league action last season. Over nine appearances (seven starts) and 34 1/3 innings, the soft-tossing Palmquist recorded a brutal 8.91 ERA with similar strikeout and walk percentages of 15.4 and 14.3, respectively. He averaged a little over 90 mph on his fastball and surrendered 10 home runs while generating ground balls just 31.6% of the time.

Palmquist entered this season as BA’s 17th-ranked Rockies prospect, but they designated him for assignment on May 21 after he got off to a rough start with Triple-A Albuquerque. He made 12 appearances (five starts), tossed 25 innings of 7.20 ERA ball and totaled almost as many walks (19) as strikeouts (24) in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Overall, Palmquist pitched to a 5.41 ERA with 9.7 strikeouts and 5.5 walks per nine in 138 Triple-A innings as member of the Rockies.

The 25-year-old Palmquist has two minor league options remaining and will give the Nationals some depth. If he pitches well enough in Rochester, the Nats could eventually call him up to join what has been one of the majors’ least effective pitching staffs. Washington has the majors’ fifth-worst ERA (4.82), but thanks to an unexpectedly good offense, the team is off to a respectable 27-27 start.

Kranick, 28, joined the Nationals on a one-year contract with a club option on May 5. The Nationals immediately placed Kranick on the 15-day IL, as the former Pirate and Met is still recovering from the flexor tendon surgery he underwent last summer. The shift to the 60-day version will keep him from debuting with the Nats until at least early July.