Nats to call up Kobernus, DFA Maya

Photo by USA Today

In need of depth on their bench, the Washington Nationals are calling up second baseman Jeff Kobernus from the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs and designating relief pitcher Yunesky Maya for assignment. Kobernus’ contract will be purchased to place him on the 40-man roster as Maya will now go through the waiver process.

Kobernus joins the Nats to provide an extra position player with Danny Espinosa out with a loose bone chip in his right wrist.

“We’re doing something with Maya and calling up Kobernus,” Davey Johnson said. “We’re already one player short with four players on the bench, I like to have at least five. And with Espinosa down, we can’t go with three.”

Kobernus, 24, has spent four seasons in Washington’s minor league system after being drafted by the club in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He has yet to make his major league debut.

Late collapse spoils Strasburg's gem

Associated Press

Davey Johnson's club lost its fourth straight and is now .500 for the season.

By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Strasburg and Matt Cain each put up seven strikeouts over seven innings, but Pablo Sandoval smacked a walk-off, two-run home run against over-matched reliever Yunesky Maya to give the Giants a 4-2, 10-inning win last night over a shell-shocked Nationals club.

The anticipated duel between aces seemed at first to be a letdown, as the Nationals jumped all over Cain in the top of the first to score two quick runs.

Denard Span singled just past the diving glove of Brandon Crawford to lead off the game, and came around to score standing up on Ryan Zimmerman's one-out double. Zimmerman himself scored one out later, as shortstop Ian Desmond laced a line drive towards the right field foul line.

The Giants cut the deficit to one run the next inning with a classic piece of National League run manufacturing, as No. 7 hitter Gregor Blanco singled on a ground ball, moved to second on Cain's one-out sacrifice, and scored from there on Angel Pagan's single up the

Desperation forces bullpen makeover

USA Today Sports Images

Ryan Mattheus broke his right hand after Sunday's game in San Diego.

As if an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of the Giants last night wasn't bad enough, the Nationals now find themselves forced into giving their bullpen a quick makeover just so they can have a few fresh arms for tonight's game in San Francisco.

Ryan Mattheus will be placed on the disabled list after breaking his right hand Sunday in San Diego, an injury that didn't occur during the Nationals' 13-4 loss to the Padres but afterward when the right-hander punched his locker in frustration. Mattheus' surprise injury, combined with the eight innings of work needed out of Zach Duke, Craig Stammen and Henry Rodriguez last night, leaves the Nationals with a serious dearth of healthy relievers at the moment.

So general manager Mike Rizzo will summon a pair of pitchers from Class AAA Syracuse: veteran right-hander Yunesky Maya and left-hander Fernando Abad. Each is expected to be added to the

Nats cut eight, release Snyder

Photo by USA Today

[UPDATED 11:50 a.m.]

The Washington Nationals have announced another round of spring training cuts, sending six players to Triple-A Syracuse and two to minor league camp. The team also granted 32 year old catcher Chris Snyder an unconditional release.

Pitchers Ryan Perry, Erik Davis, and Yunesky Maya, as well as infielder Chris Marrero, catcher Jhonatan Solano, and outfielder Corey Brown are all off to Triple-A. Reassigned to minor league camp are pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and infielder Zach Walters. 

Davis and Maya head north after strong springs that on other teams may have warranted big league roster spots. Davis held a 1.13 ERA through eight innings across seven games, with just one earned run allowed and two walks. He struck out eight batters and posted a .148 batting average against. Maya appeared in five games with a 2.25 ERA and seven strikeouts through eight innings pitched. 

Perry, on the other hand, had a rough spring with a 10.24 ERA in 9 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed 11 earned runs and four walks with a .325 BAA.