Nats select contract of right-hander Jeremy Guthrie

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Jeremy Guthrie on Saturday and optioned outfielder Michael A. Taylor to Triple-A Syracuse. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Guthrie, who is celebrating his 38th birthday, gets the start Saturday night vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The start will mark Guthrie's first since the 2015 season when he was a member of the Kansas City Royals. A veteran of more than 300 Major League games, Guthrie was a non-roster invitee to the Nationals' 2017 Spring Training. Possessing a 91-108 career record and a 4.37 ERA, Guthrie has been a durable rotation stalwart for several teams in his 12-year career. Crossing the 200-inning threshold five times in the last eight years, Guthrie has amassed over 1,700 Major League innings. This spring, the right-hander posted a 2.41 ERA in nine games (two games started), striking out 15 batters in 18.2 innings of work. Taylor, 26, did not appear in any of Washington's first four games this season. A versatile outfielder, Taylor has hit .228 with 22 home runs, 29 doubles, three triples, 84 RBI, 80 runs scored and 30 stolen bases in his 231 career Major League games.