Nats add six players to active roster

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals added six additional players to their roster prior to tonight's game against the Dodgers. The club is taking advantage of Major League Baseball's Sept. 1 40-man roster expansion. The Nats will add right-handers Aaron Barrett and Blake Treinen as well as left-hander Xavier Cedeno to the bullpen. Additionally, catcher Sandy Leon, first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore and outfielder Steven Souza Jr. were added to the roster. Souza was activated from a rehab assignment after injuring his left shoulder in early August against the Braves. Barrett is 3-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 40 games (33 1/3 innings pitched) for the Nats this season. His 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings rank second among all rookie National League relievers this season, behind only Philadelphia's Ken Giles (12.72). This will be Cedeno's fourth stint with the Nats this season. He has not allowed a run in the majors in 2014. He was 5-1 with a 2.29 ERA in 35 games (39.1 innings pitched) at Triple-A Syracuse. Leon will serve as the Nats' third catcher on the roster. Like Cedeno, this also is his fourth stint with the team this year. He has played in 18 games for the Nats this season, batting .169. Moore returns to the Nats for the third time this season. He has played in 34 games (16 starts) for the Nats. He hit .214 with three home runs and drove in 11 runs. The first baseman/outfielder hit .265 with a .367 on-base percentage and a .434 slugging percentage at Triple-A this season, clubbing 31 extra-base hits and driving in 44 runs in 84 games. In 46 career big league games as a first baseman, Moore has hit .325 with eight doubles, six home runs and 26 RBIs. Treinen is making his sixth stint with the club. He is 1-3 with a 2.35 ERA in 11 games with the Nats (five starts) this year. As a starter in the majors, Treinen has worked to a 2.50 ERA, and as a reliever he's posted a 1.54 mark. Treinen had an 8-2 record with a 3.35 ERA in 16 starts at Triple-A this year. Souza returns to the Nats' active roster after missing 20 games with a bruised left shoulder. He was named the International League MVP after leading the league in several offensive categories: batting average (.350), on-base percentage (.432), and slugging percentage (.590). He also hit 18 home runs, drove in 75 and stole 26 bases. Souza Jr. is 1-for-12 (.083) with one walk and four strikeouts in the major leagues this year.