Nationals Select Pitcher Marco Estrade from Columbus
The Washington Nationals today selected right-handed pitcher Marco Estrada from Triple-A Columbus. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made this announcement.
Estrada went 1-2 with a 0.74 ERA in his last four starts at Triple-A, recording 20 strikeouts and issuing only four walks during that span. Overall this season, he went 9-6 in 25 starts between Columbus and Double-A Harrisburg and ranks second and third among Nationals minor leaguers with 119 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA, respectively.
The 25-year-old went 3-3 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts at Columbus, and 6-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 13 starts with Harrisburg. He garnered the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors for May, compiling a 4-0 record with a 0.94 ERA and 30 strikeouts over five starts during the month. Estrada was selected by the Nationals in the sixth round of the 2005 Draft out of Long Beach State (CA). His first appearance will be his major league debut.
Estrada fills the roster spot left vacant by Sunday's trade that sent right-handed pitcher Luis Ayala to the New York Mets in exchange for a player to be named later.
