WASHINGTON -- The Nationals' closer situation isn't getting any better.
On Wednesday afternoon, reliever Koda Glover -- who went on the 10-day disabled list on June 11 with back stiffness -- revealed that he's now dealing with shoulder issues.
"We got an MRI," Glover said prior to Wednesday night's game between the Nationals and the Chicago Cubs. "It's severe inflammation of the rotator cuff and two strains, and a couple of this and that, and it's not really a huge deal. But the inflammation, we're still waiting for it to go away. I'm just glad I'm able to move my arm."
The news comes a day after Washington manager Dusty Baker said that his rookie right-hander had not yet resumed throwing.
According to Glover, the back issues that landed him on the DL were caused by shoulder problems that he first noticed prior to Washington's late May series in San Francisco.
"The back was overcompensation from the shoulder," said Glover, who pitched two perfect innings and recorded two saves during the series with the Giants. "I'm just trying to work on that, get that strong, but it's going to be a process. I guess my pain tolerance is pretty high. I didn't really know what was sore, what was hurt. Nothing was really hurt, I thought, so I just kept pitching. Over time, I guess it just broke down, so my body broke down with it, the overcompensation. It's one of them things where I'm just gonna have to take a step back, rest, get strong and then hopefully come back."
Drafted as a closer out of Oklahoma State, Glover debuted last July, but he had his season cut short by a torn labrum in his hip that sidelined him in mid-September. Earlier this season, he spent two weeks on the disabled list with a hip impingement. Upon returning, he made nine straight scoreless appearances, during which he converted all five of his save opportunities.
When healthy, the 24-year-old hurler has been the most effective late-inning option in a beleaguered Washington bullpen whose 4.91 ERA ranks last in the National League. On the season, Glover is 0-1 with a 5.12 ERA and a team-high eight saves.
Six different players have recorded at least one save for the Nationals, who lost closer Mark Melancon to free agency in the offseason. Washington, which entered Wednesday with an 8.5-game cushion in the NL East, is widely expected to acquire bullpen help prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.