Nats will be without Cordero MILWAUKEE -- The Nationals placed closer Chad Cordero on the bereavement list on Tuesday and selected the contract of reliever Winston Abreu from Triple-A Columbus. Cordero is going back to Southern California to be with his grandmother, Josie Cordero, who is suffering from brain cancer. Chad told MLB.com recently that his grandmother's illness was affecting him on the mound. On Sunday, he had a tough time throwing strikes and gave up a game-tying run in the ninth inning against the Cubs. The right-hander considers Josie Cordero to be a second mother. Chad said Josie always went to his baseball games while he was growing up in Southern California. The last time Chad saw Josie was last week, when the Nationals were playing the Padres in San Diego. "I have my grandmother on my mind. I'm real close to her, so it's tough," Chad said on Monday. "We all grew up in the same city. I lived a mile away from her."