Nationals recall catcher Jhonatan Solano and left-hander Xavier Cedeno from Syracuse

The Washington Nationals today recalled catcher Jhonatan Solano and left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Solano is a career .239 (17-for-71) big league hitter with five doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in 28 games for the Nationals. He debuted with Washington last season and impressed both offensively (five extra-base hits in 12 games) and defensively (threw out three of eight would-be basestealers). The 28 year-old Solano went 6-for-36 (.167) with two doubles, two RBI and two walks in 16 games during two stints with Washington earlier this season. His younger brother, Donovan, is a second baseman with the Marlins. Solano was batting .214 with seven doubles in 40 games with Syracuse at the time of the promotion. Cedeno begins a fourth stint with the Nationals, for whom he has worked 1.1 scoreless innings in a pair of relief appearances (hold on June 13 at COL, June 9 vs. MIN-day game). The Nationals claimed Cedeno off waivers from the Astros on April 23. The 26-year-old Cedeno owns a career .241 batting average against when facing left-handed hitters and is 0-1 with seven holds, one save and a 5.80 ERA in 54 relief appearances spanning three seasons with Washington and Houston. Upon this recall, Cedeno was 2-0 with four saves and a 1.47 ERA in 36 appearances for Syracuse. He struck out 11.4 batters per 9.0 innings during his time in the International League. Solano and Cedeno assume roster slots vacated as the Nationals earlier today traded catcher Kurt Suzuki to Oakland (for right-handed pitcher Dakota Bacus) and outfielder David DeJesus to Tampa Bay (for a player to be named or cash considerations) in separate transactions.