LOS ANGELES — The Washington Nationals placed left-hander Matt Grace on the 10-day disabled list Saturday with a left groin strain. Trevor Gott was recalled from Class AAA Syracuse in his place.

Grace said the groin has been nagging him for some time. The 29-year-old Los Angeles native pitched through it but aggravated the injury pitching in the seventh inning of Washington’s win over the Dodgers on Friday. His wincing coaxed trainer Paul Lessard out of the dugout to check on him, though Grace remained in the game for another batter and struck out Corey Seager.

“He’s been dealing with it for probably five or six days, and yesterday it grabbed him pretty good,” Nationals Manager Dave Martinez said. “To his defense, he went out there and got us a big out … He said he felt fine and this happened before. He said he could work through it, but I was watching him and he was really laboring. And I don’t want him to get hurt for a long period of time.”

Gott, 25, is back with the Nationals after making the club’s Opening Day roster. He allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings across five games with Washington before he was sent to Syracuse when the Nationals brought up Jeremy Hellickson on Monday. Gott tossed two scoreless innings in two games for Syracuse. He pitched Friday in Louisville, allowing two hits and striking out two.

The swap leaves the Nationals with two left-handed relievers after beginning the season with four. As Martinez pointed out, however, right-handers Brandon Kintzler and Carlos Torres, who joined the club on Friday, have reverse career splits; they’re better against left-handed batters than those from the right side.

As for the bench, the Nationals will have Anthony Rendon available to pinch hit. It’s the closest they’ll have to a full bench since the third baseman fouled a pitch off his left big toe on April 13. Martinez said Rendon took ground balls and jogged on the field Friday, but was still sore.

The Nationals didn’t put Rendon on the disabled list because, Martinez said, he kept insisting he was progressing. But Saturday will be the seventh straight game without Rendon in the starting lineup; if he returns Sunday the Nationals will have essentially traded three days of Rendon for seven days without a full bench or an extra arm in the bullpen.

As for Adam Eaton, Martinez said the club would have a better idea of his status after he worked on the field pregame Saturday. Eaton is on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left ankle. He has been eligible for reinstatement since Thursday.

NATIONALS (10-10)
Trea Turner SS
Howie Kendrick 2B
Bryce Harper LF
Ryan Zimmerman 1B
Moises Sierra LF
Matt Wieters C
Michael A. Taylor CF
Wilmer Difo 3B
Stephen Strasburg RHP

DODGERS (8-10)
Chris Taylor 2B
Corey Seager
Yasmani Grandal C
Cody Bellinger 1B
Joc Pederson CF
Matt Kemp LF
Yasiel Puig RF
Max Muncy 3B
Hyun-Jin Ryu LHP

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