Candelario back in lineup, Garrett gets chance to face righty

NEW YORK – Jeimer Candelario is back in the Nationals lineup tonight, having survived Friday night’s injury scare and ready to resume playing as Tuesday’s trade deadline inches closer.

Candelario thought he hurt his left shoulder an awkward slide into second base as he tried to stretch an eighth-inning single into a double during the Nats’ 5-1 loss to the Mets. He immediately grabbed his left arm and motioned to the dugout for a trainer, then later walked off the field under his own power.

The 29-year-old didn’t return, but because he was serving as designated hitter instead of playing his usual third base position, he was never officially taken out of the game. He wound up taking swings in the cage and declared himself fine and even said he would’ve been able to bat had his spot in the lineup come up again.

“It was scary, but I’m good,” he said afterward.

Davey Martinez didn’t hesitate to put Candelario back in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Mets, penciling him back into the No. 3 spot and at third base.

Given the likelihood he’ll be dealt before Tuesday’s deadline, Candelario has to be extra careful about getting hurt at this point. But Martinez said he can’t think in those terms and would never consider sitting a player just to try to keep him healthy in the days leading up to the deadline, despite the ramifications.

“If I did that, I might get some ramifications from up there,” Martinez said with a laugh, looking upstairs toward a theoretical front office. “No, we play these guys. It’s part of the game. Unfortunately, that is a part of the game. But I’m thinking about today and trying to win a game today.”

* Stone Garrett is getting a rare start against a right-hander tonight, bumping the struggling Corey Dickerson to the bench.

Martinez has used Dickerson and Garrett pretty much as a straight platoon in left field for months, but at this point the difference in their production against opposing right-handers is negligible. Garrett is batting .250/.326/.338 in 89 plate appearances; Dickerson is batting .252/.279/.342 in 129 plate appearances.

“(Garrett) is swinging the bat pretty well,” Martinez said. “I want to try to get him in there a little bit more. These days have been hot. I like the matchup today with (Mets starter Carlos) Carrasco and him, so I’m giving him an opportunity to play outfield for us.”

The Nationals signed Dickerson to a $2.25 million contract over the winter specifically because of his track record against right-handers. He entered the season with a career .286/.329/.498 slash line across 3,111 plate appearances against them, but he has seen his numbers dramatically plummet.

Martinez has insisted all summer he believes Dickerson can and will get hot at some point and become the hitter he’s always been, but time’s running out for the 34-year-old.

“As I talk to some of our other guys about hitting, it’s about slowing things down,” the manager said. “He’s jumping. He’s over-striding a little bit. We talked a lot. His BP has been way better. He’s driving the ball to both sides of the field. Now it’s just got to translate to the game. He’s had better swings. Now we just have to put it together.

“But I’ve seen this guy go 5-6 weeks when he was hot and really carry a team. I still think he has that in him.”