Marlins trade P Olsen, OF Willingham to Nationals

Nov 11, 2008 - 4:43 PM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Washington Nationals acquired pitcher Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham from the Florida Marlins in a five-player trade completed Tuesday morning.

Florida, which posted a surprising 84-77 record this past season, received second baseman Emilio Bonifacio, minor-league pitcher P.J. Dean and minor-league second baseman Jake Smolinski in the deal.

The Nationals, who finished with the worst record in the majors, brought in a pair of young veterans in the 24-year-old Olsen and the 29-year-old Willingham.

"It is not easy to part with individuals who have come up in this organization and been a valuable part of the Florida Marlins," Marlins president Larry Beinfest said. "They will both be missed and we wish them nothing but the best in their careers."

Olsen went 8-11 with a 4.20 ERA in 33 starts last season, his third full season with the Marlins. The lefthander owns a career record of 31-37 with a 4.63 ERA.

Willingham batted .254 with 15 home runs and 51 RBI in an injury-shortened 2008 season. A left fielder who also can play first base, he had 21 homers in 2007 and belted a career-high 26 the previous campaign.

It was the second trade in less than two weeks for Florida, which dealt first baseman Mike Jacobs to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Leo Nunez on October 30.

Tuesday's deal clearly was a cost-cutting move by the Marlins, who entered the 2008 season with the lowest payroll in baseball at just over $21 million. With this move, they will have cleared over $800,000 salary for the 2009 season.

Bonifacio is a career .240 hitter who was traded to Washington for Jon Rauch by Arizona last season. Dean went 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA in 10 starts in the Gulf Coast League. Smolinski hit .306 in the New York-Penn League.

"Bonifacio is a switch-hitter and above-average runner and defender who is major league ready," Beinfest said. "Smolinski and Dean have high top ends, and we look forward to them joining the Marlins in the near future."