Call making most of opportunity at plate, in field since return

Alex Call had already made one diving catch to end an inning, not to mention singled twice and produced the Nationals’ first run of Wednesday night’s game against the Giants. Eleven days into his latest stint in the big leagues, the 29-year-old outfielder had done just about everything that could be asked of him, providing a welcome spark for a roster that had just lost Lane Thomas and Jesse Winker to trades.

So when Jerar Encarnacion drove a ball deep to right field in the top of the eighth Wednesday, few would’ve faulted Call had he pulled up at the wall, played the ball on a bounce and held Encarnacion to a double.

For Call, that was never really an option.

“I think about making those plays on every pitch, because that really locks you in,” he said. “Playing the outfield, it’s tough sometimes just to stay locked in. That’s how I do it: I think of plays like that. So when you get the opportunity, you see the ball in the air, you run it down. … I’ve been running for a while. I’m still running. The wall’s coming. … And then it just happens and you make the catch and you can feel really good about it. Because that’s how I want to play and how I want to do.”

Call’s leaping catch brought a roar from the crowd and raised arms from his teammates. It also left him on the ground after absorbing the impact of the particular part of the wall he struck, right where the out-of-town scoreboard meets the green padding.

As everyone anxiously waited to see if he’d be able to get up, Call took a quick inventory of his body, realized he was going to be OK and got back to his feet.

“I didn’t have a lot of time to brace,” he said. “It’s one of those where you’re like: ‘I think I can get this one,’ but you’re going to pay the price. I just kind of felt everything in my chest crack, and I was like: ‘Uh oh, did I break something?’ I took a couple deep breaths. OK, nothing’s screaming. We can get up now. Not fun to run into the wall, but it is fun to make catches to help your team.”

Call has been helping the Nationals in many ways since coming up from Triple-A Rochester on July 28. In nine games since, he’s batting .444 (12-for-27) with four doubles, a homer, seven RBIs, six walks, two stolen bases and several impressive plays in right field.

He’s enjoyed nice stretches at the plate before, but this one feels different to those who closely watch him. How else do you explain a leap in slugging percentage from .307 to .581?

“He’s actually getting in a good position to hit the baseball,” manager Davey Martinez said. “He’s not really trying to pull the ball. He’s trying to stay in the middle of the field. So he’s getting better swings, being ready to hit the fastball better. And being a bit more aggressive. Last year, it felt like he was always hitting with two strikes. This year, it seems like he’s been a little more aggressive. He’s been doing well.”

Call, indeed, has traditionally been one of the Nationals’ most patient hitters, working the count, flipping his bat when he draws a seven-pitch walk. So it was surprising when he came up to bat with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday, representing the winning run, and then grounded into a game-ending double play on the first pitch he saw from Giants closer Camilo Doval.

“Obviously, I’m not afraid to take walks,” he said. “But if they’re going to throw me a pitch, I’m ready to hit it. I think his fastball just beat me to the spot, and unfortunately it went right to (the shortstop). I was comfortable with what my approach was, and I got a good pitch, a decent pitch. And it didn’t find a hole.”