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Nationals recall Lucas Giolito and option Koda Glover to Triple-A Syracuse

Koda Glover threw just two innings in relief while he was up in the Washington Nationals' bullpen, but the right-hander did impress in his short time in the majors. Glover was optioned to Triple-A today to make room for Lucas Giolito's return.

By Patrick Reddington
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Koda Glover's four-pitch, 1-2-3 frame in his MLB debut for the Washington Nationals didn't provide anyone who hadn't seen him pitch live before, including his manager, with a good look at what he has to offer, but he managed to impress Dusty Baker all the same.

"He wasn't afraid. I mean, big time," Baker said. "That's what you like. A young guys comes in and throws strikes.

"We're really impressed in our organization about him and he's come on rather quickly. Like I said earlier, this is the first time I have seen him in person. First time I've seen him throw. Last couple days, we called up a couple youngsters that if I passed them on street I wouldn't know them. And so now I know them, now I've seen that a little bit.

"So that was a perfect game to get him into, because sometimes you're forced into action, bases loaded in the thirteenth inning or something, so that was a perfect game to get your feet wet."

In Glover's second major league relief appearance, he threw a total of 15 pitches, 13 for strikes, in the Nationals' 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Baker was impressed again after he got a better look at what the 23-year-old right-hander.

"He throws strikes," Baker said, "he pounds the strike zone. He has good movement on the cutter. We haven't seen really his dynamite changeup yet, or slider, but he comes right after them.

"I don't know how long he's going to be here this time, which I told him, but he's going to be here for a long time, barring injury, because he's a good body guy, he has a quick arm and he comes right after them."

Glover's meteoric rise through the organizational ranks resulted in just two appearances in the majors this time, but he made the same positive impression he's made at every stop so far.

This afternoon, he was optioned back to the Nationals' top minor league affiliate to make room on the roster for the return of Lucas Giolito, who'll start this afternoon's series finale with the San Diego Padres:

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