Adon lands on IL, Ribalta returns from Triple-A, Abrams sits again

The Nationals keep running into walls trying to find out if Joan Adon can become a regular member of their bullpen.

Adon was placed on the 15-day injured list this afternoon with a right shoulder biceps strain, removing the erratic reliever from the active roster again and replacing him with rookie Orlando Ribalta, who was recalled from Triple-A Rochester.

The Nats are awaiting MRI results on Adon, who had not pitched in six days but did briefly warm up during Monday night’s game against the Yankees. Teams cannot backdate IL moves more than three days, so Adon won’t be eligible to return until Sept. 10.

The 26-year-old, a starter throughout his professional career, was moved to the bullpen in Rochester earlier this season, with the Nationals thinking he might develop into an effective long man. But he’s appeared in only eight big league games across three stints with the club, and he has yet to record more than four outs in any relief appearance.

Ribalta returns to the majors only eight days after he was optioned to Triple-A, a move that came only seven days after he made his big league debut. The 6-foot-8 right-hander was scored upon in each of his two appearances for the Nats but sported a 2.64 ERA, 1.154 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings at Rochester and Double-A Harrisburg.

“Just pound the strike zone,” manager Davey Martinez said when asked what Ribalta needs to do to have more success in his second big league stint. “He’s got a really good changeup. But getting ahead, staying ahead, and throwing strikes.”

* Tonight’s lineup features all kids, with the Nationals’ nine starting position players and starting pitcher all 26 or younger. But it doesn’t include one of their biggest young stars.

CJ Abrams is on the bench for only the fourth time in the team’s last 58 games, but the second time in the last six days.

With left-hander Carlos Rodón on the mound for the Yankees, Martinez decided to sit his struggling shortstop, who is batting just .182 and slugging just .288 since the All-Star Game.

“We’ve got Rodón. We’ve got another lefty (Friday night) against Chicago,” Martinez said. “We’ve got a day off tomorrow. I wanted to give him two days off. I told him there’s a good chance he might get into the game today, so be ready. But I wanted to get him off his feet. He’s played a lot. He went through the All-Star break, didn’t really have any time off. So I’m trying to give him a day off here and there.”

Abrams also has been charged with six errors in his last 15 games, which appears to be the Nationals’ greater concern. At the same time, he started a spectacular 6-4-3 double play in a key spot during Tuesday night’s win, evidence of his defensive prowess, especially on quick-reaction plays.

“The big thing with him is consistency right now,” Martinez said. “He had it for a while, and now he’s got to get back to just playing consistent baseball every day. I’m not asking him to make spectacular plays. I’m just asking him to make the routine plays. Those spectacular plays just happen. But the routine plays, we need him to make them 100 out of 100 times.”