Nationals recall Severino, select contract of Stevenson from Triple-A Syracuse

The Washington Nationals recalled catcher Pedro Severino and selected the contract of outfielder Andrew Stevenson from Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. Outfielder Ryan Raburn was placed on the bereavement list, and outfielder Chris Heisey was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left groin strain. Additionally, outfielder Jayson Werth (left foot contusion) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Severino, 24, gets the call for his first Major League assignment of the season. Hitting .221 with two doubles, one triple, four homers, 26 RBI, 10 walks and 15 runs scored in 49 games between Triple-A Syracuse and short-season Single-A Auburn, Severino has hit safely in 17 of his last 24 games. Severino enjoyed three stints with Washington in 2016, hitting .321 (9-for-28) with two doubles, two homers, four RBI and six runs scored in 16 games. He went 7-for-15 (.467) during his second stint from July 30 to Aug. 19. Stevenson, 23, joins the Nationals for the first Major League assignment of his career. The Nationals' top selection in the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft (second round, No. 58 overall) out of Louisiana State University, Stevenson is hitting .268 with a .324 on-base percentage, 12 doubles, five triples, two home runs, 29 walks and 26 RBI in 93 Minor League games this season (20 with Double-A, 73 with Triple-A). Washington's No. 5 prospect, per Baseball America, has also added 10 stolen bases (nine with Triple-A). In the month of June alone, Stevenson hit .327 with four doubles, four triples, one home run, seven walks, and seven stolen bases, posting a .373 on-base percentage and .464 slugging in 30 games with the Syracuse Chiefs. His torrid June propelled Stevenson to a spot on the Triple-A International League All-Star squad. An athletic, speedy outfielder, Stevenson was a non-roster invitee to the Nationals' Major League Spring Training this year - a notable feat after playing just one full professional season (2016). The left-handed hitting outfielder excels in center field (224 games), but has also appeared in left field (54) and right field (1) in his three-year Minor League career. Raburn, 36, has appeared in 24 games (14 starts) for Washington since having his contract selected on June 5. In those 14 starts, he is hitting .288 (15-for-52) with one double, two triples, two homers, five RBI and six runs scored. All 14 of his starts have been in left field. Heisey hits the disabled list for the second time this season after missing 40 games with a right biceps rupture earlier this year. The 32-year-old outfielder has hit .162 (12 for-74) with three doubles, one triple, one home run, and five RBI in 38 games off the Nationals' bench this season. Werth, 38, was placed on the disabled list on June 5 (retroactive to June 4), and has missed 42 games with a left foot contusion. In 47 games prior to the injury, Werth hit .262 with five doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 27 walks, and 18 RBI. He posted a .367 on-base percentage and a .446 slugging percentage.