The Nationals designated Littell for assignment Wednesday.
Littell covered 6.2 innings -- his second-longest outing of the season -- in bulk relief Tuesday against the Phillies, but he's on an expiring contract and wasn't viewed as a vital part of the future for a Nationals squad that has begun to fade from the playoff picture following a seven-game losing streak. Even though he had pitched better over his last three outings, Littell struggled to make bats miss (14.6 K%) and keep the ball in yard (25 home runs allowed) during his time with Washington. The Nationals activated Brad Lord (side) from the 15-day injured list to join the roster as a replacement for Littell, who turned in a 4.97 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 112.1 innings over his 23 appearances (14 starts).