Nationals select the contract of Tommy Milone

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Tommy Milone and designated infielder Jose Marmolejos for assignment on Thursday. Additionally, Washington placed right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to July 22) on July 25 with a cervical nerve impingement. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Milone, 31, is 7-4 with a 4.19 ERA in 20 starts for Triple-A Syracuse. He has struck out 113 batters while issuing just 24 walks in 109.2 innings pitched. His 113 strikeouts lead Washington's Minor League system and rank fourth in the International League. He also ranks among International League pitchers in starts (T1st, 20) and WHIP (5th, 1.14).

Over his last four starts, Milone has pitched to a 1.50 ERA (4 ER/24.0 IP) while holding opponents to a .155 batting average (13-for-84). He has struck out 26 batters and walked five over this four-game stretch.

Milone signed with Washington on December 16, 2017, joining the organization as a non-roster invitee to Major League Spring Training. A veteran of seven Major League seasons, Milone is 45-36 with a 4.37 ERA in 146 career games (126 starts).Strasburg, 30, is 6-7 with a 3.90 ERA (37 ER/85.1 IP) while striking out 101 and walking 21 batters across 14 starts this season.

Marmolejos, 25, hit .256 (93-for-363) with 20 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 37 RBI and 37 runs scored in 94 games for Triple-A Syracuse in 2018. He appeared in 523 Minor League games at first base across eight seasons in Washington's system.