by Ken Rosenthal

"They've both voiced they're excited for a fresh start. Neither of them has really played for anybody else except the Marlins," Agent Matt Sosnick said in a telephone interview. "They're both trying to process the information."

For the Marlins, the moves follow the team's usual pattern, reducing payroll while adding young talent with strong potential. In this case, the Nationals are the beneficiaries. Both Olsen, 24, and Willingham, 29, are entering their first year of arbitration, and will be under the Nats' control for the next three seasons.

"We have nothing to say," Larry Beinfest, the Marlins' president of baseball operations, said. "If that changes, I'll let you know. We're not planning on doing anything tonight."

Olsen, who pitched 201 2/3 innings last season while going 8-11 with a 4.20 ERA, immediately becomes the ace of a Nationals' staff in desperate need of top-of-the-rotation help. He had also been the subject of trade discussions between the Marlins and Rangers.

"I think Olsen knew he would probably get traded, and Willingham knew there was a chance, given the constraints the Marlins have," Sosnick said.

Willingham, who hit .254 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs last season, likely will take over in left, giving the Nationals additional depth in an outfield that already includes Lastings Milledge, Austin Kearns and Elijah Dukes — and possibly leading to another trade.

The Nationals, who finished 14th in the National League in runs scored last season, coveted Willingham in part because of his .361 career on-base percentage.

"He gives you professional at-bats," one club official said. "He grinds at-bats, hits good pitching."

Anderson Hernandez is the leading internal candidate to replace Bonifacio at second base.

Without Olsen, the Marlins' rotation will include right-handers Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Chris Volstad and Anibal Sanchez, along with left-hander Andrew Miller. The addition of Bonifacio will enable the team to trade Dan Uggla, move him to third base or keep him at second, where his value as an offensive player is highest. Under the latter scenario, Bonifacio could become a super-utility man, opening up the possibility of trading Alfredo Amezaga, who is coveted by many clubs.

Smolinski, 19, is coming off reconstructive knee surgery. He was the Nationals' second-round pick in the 2007 draft and Dean was their seventh-round selection out of New Caney (Texas) High School that same year.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.