Nationals select the contract of Rico Garcia

By MASN Staff

Masn Nationals

July 19, 2023, 5:07pm

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The Washington Nationals selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Rico Garcia on Wednesday. Additionally, the Nationals placed right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino on the 15-day Injured List with a flexor strain of his fourth right finger and transferred catcher Israel Pineda to the 60-day Injured List. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Garcia, 29, went 2-1 with six saves and a 2.93 ERA in 24 relief appearances between Triple-A Las Vegas (OAK) and Triple-A Rochester. He struck out 36 batters and held the opposition to a .182 average. This marks his third Major League stint of the season after appearing in seven games out of Oakland’s bullpen. He pitched to an 8.31 ERA with six strikeouts with the Athletics.

A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Garcia has appeared in 27 games (one start) across four Major League seasons. He is 1-2 with a 6.89 ERA with Oakland (2023), Baltimore (2022), San Francisco (2020) and Colorado (2019).

Garcia was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 30^th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Hawaii Pacific University.

Espino, 36, has appeared in three games out of Washington’s bullpen, pitching to a 24.75 ERA.