According to Dan Kolko of MASN Sports, J.P. Howell is the Nationals top target on the free agent market to fill their void for a left-handed reliever. Two of the three left-handers in the Nationals 2012 bullpen, Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez, have signed elsewhere in the past week, leaving a gaping hole. Should they miss out on Howell, the free agent market drops off considerably, so expect their pursuit of Howell to heat up in the coming weeks.