NEW YORK -- In an effort to bolster their struggling bullpen, the Nationals recalled Matt Grace from Triple-A Syracuse and optioned right-hander Trevor Gott in a corresponding move.
Gott appeared in the Nationals' last two games, earning the win on Tuesday even though he recorded just one out. On Wednesday, he gave up five runs over 1 2/3 innings while throwing 52 pitches. The 24-year-old's workload motivated the Nationals to make the move.
"He wasn't going to be any good to us for at least a couple of days because of the amount of pitches he threw," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said.
Additionally, the left-handed Grace offers more options for Baker in the series against the Mets. Grace also helped his cause by pitching 7 2/3 scoreless innings over five appearances with Syracuse since his most recent demotion on May 29.
"[Grace] has been good, and [the Mets] are predominately left-handed, so that was a reason why I made the move," Baker said.
Worth noting
Baker said the Nationals do not have a definitive timetable for reliever Sammy Solis' return, but the team has mapped out a 20-day rehab schedule for him. However, Baker hopes it will not take that long.
"We'll see how he responds to the workload," Baker said.