Here's how the Nats' bullpen shapes up for Opening Day

This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Manager Dave Martinez had emphasized throughout camp how close the Opening Day bullpen battle was, so it’s no surprise moves came down to the eve of the Nationals’ Grapefruit League finale.

What was known leading up to the final weekend was there were four relievers vying for the final three spots: left-hander Robert Garcia and right-handers Jacob Barnes, Matt Barnes and Derek Law. What wasn’t known was who would get the nod given all of the candidates had stepped up and delivered impressive performances.

“It was really difficult, these last few guys,” Martinez said before the Nationals' 10-1 loss to the Mets on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park. “These guys have done well this camp. We feel like we’re in a really good spot. We also feel like our depth right now is really, really good. So we’re really pleased about that. Unfortunately, we can only take 26 guys. But it takes more than that to win a championship, and I explained that to all these guys.”

Late Saturday night, the Nationals announced Jacob Barnes was reassigned to Minor League camp. With that move, Kyle Finnegan, Hunter Harvey, Tanner Rainey, Jordan Weems, Dylan Floro, Garcia, Law and Matt Barnes will make up the Opening Day bullpen. Garcia is the lone southpaw among the group.

"Yesterday was not fun," Martinez said. "It was tough."

The relievers motivated one another in the camp competition. They knew what was at stake on the roster, but they also formed a camaraderie that led to success.

“I think everybody just feeds off that energy, to be honest,” said Law (0.00 ERA and 0.64 WHIP in 9 1/3 innings). “We all get along great. We all know what everybody’s doing. It just helps you push yourself along a little bit more to be better everyday.”

Matt Barnes noticed the sense of team when he joined the Nats in late February.

“There’s a lot of really talented and high quality players in here,” Matt Barnes said. “As long as I go out there and work hard and perform well and stay healthy, what’s going to happen is going to happen.”

Barnes stood out in his return from left hip surgery last July, pitching to a 0.00 ERA and a 0.27 WHIP in 3 2/3 innings this spring.

“We like Matt,” Martinez said. “He’s healthy, and I know he’s pitched in some really high-leverage situations. He understands the role.”

To get a sense of how much the relievers thrived when tested by one another, Jacob Barnes posted a 0.87 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 15 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings, and he was still reassigned.

“The best bullpens feed off each other,” Jacob Barnes said. “You kind of realize there’s a standard without it being said. You just feel it, you see it. When others are doing it, you know that you need to keep your standards to a certain point as well. … It’s nice to be around a group that is performing well, because it just helps every person play up to their ability.”

Jacob Barnes will let the Nationals know by Monday whether he will report to Triple-A Rochester or seek an opportunity with another club.

“He had a good spring, and he worked on a lot of different things to be in the position he was in,” Martinez said. “He’s one guy that I really believe will help us, for sure. … Selfishly, I hope he stays. But if he gets a Major League job, it would be good for him and his family.”

Left-handers Richard Bleier (1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP in 10 2/3 innings) and Joe La Sorsa (1-0, five saves, 1.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP in nine innings) were reassigned to Minor League camp on Friday. Southpaw Jose A. Ferrer will open the season on the 60-day injured list because of a teres major strain.