Nationals place Jake Irvin on IL with shoulder strain

Washington Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right shoulder strain, one day after he threw five hitless innings in a 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves. The move was made retroactive to Saturday, and the Nationals recalled left-handed reliever PJ Poulin from Triple-A Rochester to take his place on the roster.

Irvin left Saturday’s game after experiencing soreness in his shoulder. He said the discomfort was unlike anything he had felt before. An MRI revealed the strain, which both Irvin and Nationals manager Drew Butera described as a positive outcome given the alternative of a more serious injury. “Just thinking positive about it all together, you know. I think it was the best news that we could have heard,” Irvin said Sunday. “So I’m excited to get after it and see what this next 15 days looks like.”

Irvin, 24, said he felt tightness in his shoulder during the fifth inning and experienced more soreness after throwing one warmup pitch before the sixth. He combined with two relievers on a one-hitter in the victory, which was his first win in nearly two months. Butera praised Irvin for alerting the team to the issue rather than...