Johnny Estrada to rehab with Potomac

Published on July 4, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release

WOODBRIDGE, Va.- The Washington Nationals have announced that catcher Johnny Estrada is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Friday, July 4, with Class-A Potomac.

Estrada becomes the sixth Washington player this season to play with Potomac after Ronnie Belliard, Paul Lo Duca, Shawn Hill, Chad Cordero, and Elijah Dukes all had brief stints with the P-Nats while recovering from an injury.

The 32-year-old was placed on the 15-day disabled list May 9 with ulnar neuritis in his right elbow. The injury has plagued the California-native all season after having off-season surgery on the arm forcing him to miss all of Spring Training. Estrada returned to Washington in April appearing in 17 games and hitting .179 with three RBI before being put on the shelf.

Signed by the Washington Nationals as a free agent in 2008, Estrada is in his 12th season of professional baseball and his first with the Nationals. He made his Major League debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2001 and has since played with a plethora of teams, including the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Milwaukee Brewers. The catcher's best season perhaps came in 2004 when he represented Atlanta at the All-Star game in Houston and earned the National League Silver Slugger Award.

Additionally, left-handed pitcher Jack Spradlin returns to Potomac after a stint with Double-A Harrisburg. The addition leaves the Potomac Nationals with 25 players on their active roster, 13 pitchers and 12 position players.

The Nationals will wrap up a three-game set with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Friday night at Pfitzner Stadium. Jeff Mandel (2-1, 3.42) will start for Potomac opposite righty Kyle Cofield (6-5, 3.08) who is 1-0 against the P-Nats this season. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

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