Call gets another shot in center field after Hill is DFA

The Nationals’ continued search for a productive center fielder while Victor Robles is on the injured list landed on a familiar face today: The club recalled Alex Call from Triple-A Rochester and designated struggling Derek Hill for assignment.

Call rejoins the Nats only three weeks after he was demoted because of his own struggles, plus Robles’ initial return from a back injury. When Robles had to go back on the 10-day IL with a recurrence of the injury, Hill was given the promotion over Call.

Hill never found offensive success in D.C. Though he had a robust .914 OPS at Triple-A, the 27-year-old outfielder batted just .170 with one extra-base hit, three walks, 11 strikeouts and a .411 OPS in 13 big league games. He finally recorded his first RBI in his 48th plate appearance during Tuesday’s 8-4 loss to the Reds.

“When you’re not seeing the results, you start pressing a little bit,” manager Davey Martinez said. “We talked to him about shortening his swing a little bit, and it felt like he was getting long. We worked with him, and just nothing came out of it.”

Having already played for the Tigers in parts of the previous three seasons, Hill was out of options and couldn’t be demoted without first being exposed to waivers. Hence today’s move to designate him for assignment. If he goes unclaimed, he could wind up back in Rochester.

Call, who made the Opening Day roster as the Nats’ fourth outfielder, was given an extended chance to play center field every day after Robles suffered his initial injury in early May. Over his final 28 games, he hit just .160 with three doubles, four RBIs and a .432 OPS, leading to his demotion when Robles came off the IL on June 16.

“There’s no doubt things didn’t go the way I wanted them to in the first stint,” he said. “I felt like it was just a good time to focus. I know I’m a great player. I know I’m a great hitter. I’m going to continue to play great defense, and just focus on getting back to being the player I can be.”

Call set out to make some fixes to his swing and approach in Rochester and saw some positive results. In 11 games totaling 50 plate appearances for the Red Wings, he hit .275 with three doubles, a homer, three RBIs, seven walks and an .813 OPS.

“The results are different,” Call said. “Not necessarily the hits, but the contact quality, and the ball flights and the positions on the field where you’re hitting the ball. Those are all things I’ve been focusing on, not just the hits. I’m excited to continue to let that play out and expect to be better.”

Now Call gets another shot to prove his worth, potentially another extended shot because Robles remains in West Palm Beach, Fla., rehabbing but not participating in any baseball activities yet.

Though he has yet to re-establish himself as a consistent big league hitter after his solid rookie year in 2019, Robles had made significant strides this season when healthy. Over 126 plate appearances, he’s batting .299 with a .385 on-base percentage and .750 OPS.

Call and Hill, meanwhile, have taken a combined 189 plate appearances and hit .197 with a .265 on-base percentage and .508 OPS.

“It’s been tough,” Martinez said. “Hopefully Alex comes back and he gives us a little bit of the offense that we need. But what I can say about him, I know he’s going to go out there and catch the baseball for us. He’s going to hustle. He’s going to play hard.”