Baker and Revere on Taylor being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse

Following Monday's 1-0 loss to the Brewers, Nationals manager Dusty Baker discussed the decision to option outfielder Michael A. Taylor to Triple-A Syracuse. Right-hander Jonathan Papelbon was activated prior to Monday's game, so the team decided to send the outfielder to the Chiefs.

Taylor was batting .225 in the first 60 games of the season and has struck out 64 times. In the last seven games, he has gone 2-for-22 (.091) with 10 strikeouts.

Baker said it is never an easy decision to send a player back to the minors.

"Yeah, it was real tough, because you don't want to see anybody leave," Baker said. "That's one of the toughest things. I told him, 'You go down there and work.' "

Baker referenced starting position players with other teams that have had to be sent down to Triple-A for more games: the Cardinals' Kolten Wong, the Mets' Michael Conforto and the Twins' Byron Buxton.

"Just go get yourself together," Baker said of his conversation with Taylor. "I just told him go down, no pouting, you just gotta go down there and get motivated again and (be) determined to get your act together and come back."

Taylor's teammate, center fielder Ben Revere, struggled against Brewers starter Junior Guerra. Revere went 0-for-3 with a strikeout against Guerra and finished 0-for-4. Revere also had a chance to speak with Taylor before the move was made.

"I'll just told him to keep his head up," Revere said. "He's such a great player. Just told him to keep his focus, that's the main thing. I had to go through it first couple of years. I told him, 'Just keep your focus, you're going to be fine, get your rhythm back,' because on down the road, we'll definitely going to need him."

The 25-year-old Taylor has struggled against breaking pitches. What might be interesting in Syracuse is that the Nats have been playing shortstop Trea Turner in center field and even have used him in the leadoff role recently.

With Taylor and Turner on the same Syracuse roster, it would seem that Turner would go back to shortstop so both could play every day. On Sunday, Turner was playing shortstop and Brian Goodwin was in center. As recently as Saturday, Turner was playing center field and Jason Martinson was the shortstop.

Turner has played four games in center field and 69 at shortstop this season with Syracuse. His first game in center field was last Monday.

Would the Nats consider calling up Turner for the role that Taylor was manning with the Nats?

Baker said moving to Syracuse will allow Taylor to get consistent at-bats. Baker also said it might be a short stay. Taylor must be down for a minimum of 10 days unless there is an injury on the big league club.

"We felt Michael needed some at-bats," Baker said. "Also, we weren't in a position to go (with) 12 pitchers right now because of the way our bullpen in these consecutive games, the way our bullpen's been. The way (Lucas) Giolito had gone short, the way we still have to keep an eye on (Stephen) Strasburg, you know?

"We'll do something in a few days to try to correct that because it's tough going with four bench players, really three. Those guys have been going for a while like that on the other side in Milwaukee. It's really three because you want to save your second catcher. So, plus, who has options? Who does it? That's not the move that we really wanted to make, really. But we felt it might help Michael to go down and play. He could be back in 10 games."