Nationals reinstate infielder Stephen Drew

By Doug Miller

Nationals

May 29, 2017, 9:24am

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The Washington Nationals reinstated infielder Stephen Drew from the 10-day disabled list and optioned left-handed pitcher Matt Grace to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Drew, 34, missed 41 games with a right hamstring strain. The veteran infielder had appeared in eight games before the injury struck, going 4-for-18 (.222) with one double, three runs scored and four RBI.

A valuable member of the Nationals' bench, Drew is coming off a 2016 season in which he hit .266, including a .324 average off the bench with one double, one triple, four home runs, seven RBI, eight runs scored and three walks.

Grace, 28, has a 4.05 ERA in seven appearances out of the Nationals' bullpen this season over five Major League stints. A former eighth-round draft selection in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of UCLA, Grace has posted a 60.9 percent ground-ball rate in his Major League career. Relying on a heavy fastball/slider repertoire, Grace has never allowed a Major League home run, and has allowed just six in the Minor Leagues since his conversion to relief in 2013.