OAKLAND -- The A's announced on Wednesday that Chris Schroder, a veteran right-handed reliever who pitched for the Nationals the past three seasons, has signed a Major League contract with Oakland.

The A's also announced that they have added right-handed starter Ryan Webb to their 40-man roster. His addition increases the team's total to 39 players on the current 40-man roster.

Schroder, a Minor League free agent, is a 30-year-old relief specialist who posted a 2-5 mark and 4.46 ERA in 62 appearances with Washington from 2006-08. He saw limited duty with the Nationals last season, posting a 5.40 ERA in five innings over four relief outings, and went 5-4 with a 3.97 ERA in 43 appearances with Washington's Triple-A affiliate in Columbus last year.

A 19th-round selection by the Nationals in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft, Schroder enjoyed his best big league season in 2007, when he went 2-3 with a 3.18 ERA and allowed 36 hits in 45 1/3 innings over 37 relief appearances, striking out 43 while walking 15. He's been particularly tough on right-handed hitters in his time in the bigs, holding them to a .193 batting average (34-for-176) over the past three seasons.

Webb, 22, went 9-8 with a 5.19 ERA in 25 games (22 starts) for Double-A Midland in 2008. He struck out 94, walked 44 and allowed 165 hits in 130 innings.