WASHINGTON -- The hope was that Brian Anderson’s right elbow contusion wouldn’t keep him out of Wednesday night’s starting lineup against the Nationals, but he was limited to pinch-hitting duty after a nasty run-in with the right-field fence on Tuesday night.

Still, Marlins manager Don Mattingly was optimistic the ailment would not put Anderson on the injured list. Anderson struck out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning of Miami's 3-1 loss to Washington on Wednesday night at Nationals Park.

“He’s having trouble with the throwing part,” Mattingly said before Wednesday's game. “He’ll be able to swing the bat tonight if we need him, but [we'll] try to keep him off the field for sure.”

Anderson said after Tuesday’s game that he tried throwing between innings, but each time he was spiking the ball toward the ground. The Marlins now elect to use caution, and Harold Ramirez started in right field Wednesday after Yadiel Rivera replaced Anderson on Tuesday.

“I was hoping he would be back in there today and his nerve would calm down,” Mattingly said. “But he’s still having issues with the throwing, so we’ll do what we have to do. But we’re hoping a couple days. There’s nothing structurally going on or anything else. Just banging that nerve made it really bad.”

The clubhouse ironman, Wednesday is only the third game Anderson has not started this season. If he isn’t used as a pinch-hitter, it will be only the second game he sits out entirely all season. Anderson is slashing .254/.338/.427 with a .765 OPS. He has 11 homers and 38 RBIs.

Smith slated to return Saturday

Back on the road with the club for the first time since landing on the IL, Caleb Smith (left hip inflammation) is in line to return to the rotation when the Marlins face Atlanta on Saturday, Mattingly said prior to Wednesday's game.

“He threw a spin today, and he was good,” Mattingly said. “I think we have him scheduled Saturday. Saturday is his day.”

It will be Smith’s first Major League start since landing on the IL on June 7. He has made two rehab starts with Triple-A Jacksonville, allowing six earned runs across 9 1/3 innings while striking out 19 and walking two.

Hill talks international signings

Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill fielded questions from reporters on Wednesday, lauding the success he believes the organization had on Tuesday’s first day of the international signing period while knowing there is still room to improve.

In all, the Marlins signed 11 international free agents Tuesday, spending a combined $4.3 million, according to MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez, to lock up shortstops Jose Salas (No. 10 international prospect, per MLB Pipeline) and Junior Sanchez (No. 24).

Of the remaining nine signees, four are right-handed pitchers, two are outfielders and three are shortstops.

“Definitely an exciting day organizationally,” Hill said. “Tremendous job done by [director of international operations] Fernando Seguignol and his staff. … Eleven new Marlins entered the organization, highlighting what the commitment is: We are going to build through scouting and development. We are going to acquire talent, impactful-up-the-middle talent whenever we can.”

Building through the middle was integral to Hill, Seguignol and the Latin America scouting staff.

“Hit profile and contact rate are some things, organizationally, we are mindful of in the Draft and internationally,” Hill said. “We want athletes, guys that can play the middle of the field, but we put a focus on trying to have the hit-first profile for the players that we brought in.”

Salas and Sanchez both project to be above-average hitters with plus defensive capabilities.

“It’s amazing that these kids are 16 years old,” Hill said. “It’s our job to project and see what they potentially can be.

“[Salas] is a very good-looking young man in terms of his physical talents.”

Of the pitching, Hill is most intrigued by Eury Perez out of the Dominican Republic. Tall and lanky at 6-foot-6, he features a skill set similar to recently crowned Marlins All-Star Sandy Alcantara, Hill said.

While satisfied with Tuesday’s results -- and unlikely to make any more major signings unless international money is acquired to replenish the budget -- Hill said these are just the first steps toward what he hopes is a continuously evolving effort in Latin America.

“We have to continue pushing,” he said. “Our goal is to have a sustainable product year in and year out. We want to compete for championships, and you only do that by adding as much high-end talent as possible, and that’s our goal every year. We wish there were more top 30 players that we were adding, but [of] the 11 that we added, we like all of them and think they’ll help us win future championships.”

Hill added that he has been receiving some trade calls with the July 31 Trade Deadline looming, but most have been more to feel out the Marlins’ current situation rather than putting attainable names on the table.