Nationals Announce Roster Moves

Posted by TBN(Staff) On 05/17/2019

The Washington Nationals announced the following roster moves on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

• Recalled from rehab assignment and reinstated shortstop Trea Turner from the 10-day Injured List

• Recalled right-handed pitcher Kyle McGowin from Triple-A Fresno

• Optioned infielder Wilmer Difo to Triple-A Fresno

• Placed right-handed pitcher Aníbal Sánchez on the 10-day Injured List with a left hamstring strain

Turner, 25, returns to the active roster after missing 38 games with a broken right index finger suffered on April 2nd against Philadelphia. At the time of the injury, he was 5-for-14 (.357) with a double, two homers, four RBI, one walk, four stolen bases and four runs scored through the season’s first four games.

Turner is coming off a 2018 season in which he set career marks in nearly every category thanks to becoming the second player in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to play in all 162 games. He hit .271 with 27 doubles, six triples, 19 home runs, 73 RBI, 69 walks, 43 stolen bases and 103 runs scored. Turner led the National League with 43 stolen bases and ranked among NL hitters in runs scored (T6th, 103) and hits (7th, 180). His 103 runs scored were tied for fifth in Nationals history.

McGowin, 27, joins the Nationals for his first Major League assignment of the 2019 season. He went 4-2 with a 4.32 ERA in eight starts for Triple-A Fresno. He struck out 50 batters while issuing 12 walks in 41.2 innings pitched. In his last start, May 12 vs. Albuquerque (COL), McGowin matched a career-high with 11 strikeouts in 5.2 innings of one-hit, shutout ball in Fresno’s 3-0 win.

McGowin put together his best professional season in 2018 leading to a September call-up to Washington. He led all of Minor League Baseball in WHIP (0.90) and paced Washington’s Minor League system with 152 strikeouts. He ranked fourth among Nationals farmhands with a 2.80 ERA. McGowin made his Major League debut on Sept. 5 vs. St. Louis and his first MLB start on Sept. 26 vs. Miami.

Difo, 27, hit .231 with two doubles, two homers, seven RBI, 12 walks and 14 runs scored in 39 games for the Nationals in 2019.

Sánchez, 35, was lifted in the second inning of Thursday’s start. He is 0-6 with a 5.10 ERA in nine starts this season.

Please see attached document for updated 25-man roster.

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