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Washington Nationals' manager Davey Johnson didn't provide a firm date, but when asked how long reliever Ryan Mattheus would likely be out, he told reporters, "He's going to be out a while. It's a broken bone in your pitching hand, that's going to be out a while." Since the Nats had to piece together a start last night in San Francisco with relievers Zach Duke, Craig Stammen and Henry Rodriguez all pitching more than they're used to with Ross Detwiler out of action with an oblique issue, the Nats' skipper announced after the game that outfielder Eury Perez would be sent back to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for some relief reinforcements.
"We have a couple pitchers coming in," Johnson said. "One of the moves that we had to make was to send out a position player, go short on the position side, because of the uncertainty." Getting the call, the manager announced, are 27-year-old Dominican-born lefty Fernando Abad and 31-year-old Cuban right-hander Yunesky Maya. Abad signed with Washington as a free agent this past winter after three major league seasons with Houston.
The Astros signed the 6'1'', 220 lb left-hander back in 2002. Abad is (1-11) over his three big league campaigns with a 5.10 ERA, 5.00 FIP, 33 walks (3.51 BB/9) and 65 Ks (6.91 K/9) in 88 games (six starts) and 84.2 IP, but he impressed in Spring Training with the Nats, walking two, striking out eight and posting a 2.57 ERA with a .200 BAA before he was sent to the Nats' top affiliate.
In 17 games and 17.0 IP as a reliever with the Syracuse Chiefs this season, Abad has a 1.06 ERA, 2.14 FIP, two walks (1.06 BB/9) and 12 Ks (6.35 K/9).
Maya, hailed by D.C. GM Mike Rizzo as the franchise's, "first major international signing," after he agreed to 4-year/$8M in the winter of 2010, has been less than impressive since joining the organization and has pitched the majority of his innings of his four-year deal with the Chiefs. Last season, Maya was (11-10) in 28 starts with a 3.88 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 20 HR (1.08 HR/9) and 40 walks (2.16 BB/9) allowed over 167.0 innings of work in which he struck out 89 batters (4.80 K/9).
Nationals Introduce Cuban Right-Hander Yunesky Maya To DC
Photo © Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
So far this season in Syracuse, Maya is (1-4) in eight starts with a 5.07 ERA, 3.64 FIP, three home runs (0.54 HR/9) allowed, 17 walks (3.08 BB/9) and 34 Ks (6.16 K/9). As a major leaguer, however, Maya is (1-4) with a 5.52 ERA, 4.74 FIP, 6 HR (0.92 HR/9), 21 walks (3.22 BB/9) and 27 Ks (4.14 K/9) over 15 games, 10 starts and 58.2 IP.
As of 6:13 pm EST tonight, no official announcement had been made, but Johnson assured reporters early this morning that both would be in AT&T Park tonight.