The Nationals added another left arm to the bullpen mix Friday, while also shifting Jake Irvin to the 60-day injured list.
The move comes a day after Washington placed reliever Zach Brzykcy on the injured list retroactive to July 6. Brzykcy, 26, has been a steady piece for the Nationals this season, going 5-2 with a 3.88 ERA and one save across 27 appearances.
But the right-hander has hit a rough patch lately, struggling in two of his last four outings. His most recent appearance came July 5 against the Pirates, when he was tagged for five runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings and took the loss.
Manager Blake Butera said the issue surfaced right after that outing.
“It was the day after his last outing,” Butera said. “He just came in, he needed some treatment done. Day after that still felt it, so ultimately put him on the IL.”
Brzykcy will sit out the Yankees series and the stop at the Athletics before he becomes eligible to return during the team’s trip to Colorado.
“I think it’ll be a minimum [IL] stay,” Butera said, “but we’ll see.”
To fill the opening, Washington selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Tom Cosgrove from Triple-A on Friday and moved right-hander Jake Irvin to the 60-day injured list. Cosgrove, 30, came over from the Houston Astros in a cash deal on July 3.
Before the move, he had gone 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings for Triple-A Sugar Land. He also struck out the side in his lone inning with Triple-A Rochester this season on July 5 against Lehigh Valley.
Cosgrove gives the Nationals three left-handers in the bullpen, with Carson Palmquist working as the opener Friday to make it four on hand for the series.
“Particularly for this series, for the left-hand heavy lineup like the Yankees have -- they only have three righties in there today and they still have another lefty on the bench -- we need all the lefties we can get in this series,” Butera said.
Cosgrove has logged 74 Major League appearances and owns a 1-3 record with a 3.86 ERA and one save. He said he’s ready for whatever role Washington asks of him.
“I’m still very new to the organization,” Cosgrove said before Friday’s game. “I’m just here to go in the game when they call my name on the phone, whenever that is.”
Irvin, who has been out since May 24 with a right shoulder strain, threw live batting practice Wednesday and is scheduled to pitch in West Palm Beach during the break.
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