Harvey returns from IL, Finnegan to remain closer

Hunter Harvey believes he could’ve returned from his elbow strain at least a week ago, maybe sooner than that. Given the right-hander’s lengthy injury history, the Nationals weren’t about to rush him back from the 15-day injured list.

But once they saw him throwing 97-99 mph against live hitters over the weekend, there wasn’t much reason to wait any longer. So today the Nats activated Harvey off the IL and are eager to add him to a bullpen that still managed to dominate as a group in his absence the last three weeks.

“They’ve been great,” Harvey said. “I’ve heard (manager Davey Martinez) say guys needed to step up, and I think a lot of guys had a good opportunity and ran with it. … Everybody’s been pulling their weight, and it’s been good.”

Harvey first felt something wrong in his arm during the Nationals’ mid-July series in St. Louis and immediately spoke up, recognizing he hasn’t always been great at reporting physical ailments during his career. The team sent him home to get an MRI but was relieved to learn the injury wasn’t anything more serious.

Harvey was back throwing again within a week and was able to return without going on a minor league rehab assignment. His IL stint might’ve been even shorter, he believes, if his wife hadn’t given birth to their first son earlier than expected, drawing his undivided attention away from baseball.

“It’s to the point now where I kind of know something’s not right,” he said of his arm injuries. “Last year, I didn’t say much. I threw with it, and just made it worse. I think this was pretty similar this year, but I went in there and said I don’t feel right. I need to get on top of it. And that’s what we did. Obviously if the stuff at home didn’t happen, I might’ve missed 10 days, maybe got to 15. It was just bad timing on some other stuff, but it all worked out.”

Needing to clear a spot for Harvey, the Nationals optioned Joe La Sorsa to Triple-A Rochester. The rookie had been scored upon in only one of his last 10 outings, but the success of fellow left-handers Jose A. Ferrer and Robert Garcia left him as the odd man out.

Harvey had ascended to the closer’s role prior to suffering his injury, but Kyle Finnegan’s dominance over the last three weeks – zero runs allowed, seven saves in seven opportunities over his last 12 appearances – will prompt Martinez not to make a change in the ninth inning. Harvey will slot into a setup role for now, alongside righty Jordan Weems, with Andrés Machado likely to be asked to pitch multiple innings along with long reliever Cory Abbott.

“Right now, Finnegan will close out games for us,” Martinez said. “We’ll get Harvey built up a little bit, and then we’ll see what happens.”

Even more bullpen help appears to be on the way. Both Tanner Rainey and Mason Thompson threw in a simulated game today against live hitters, Rainey throwing 23 pitches and reaching 94 mph with his fastball (highest it has been in his return from Tommy John surgery) and Thompson (out since Aug. 5 with a left knee contusion) throwing 25 pitches.

If both right-handers have no setbacks following today’s session, both are expected to begin a rehab assignment for Single-A Fredericksburg on Thursday. Thompson shouldn’t need much time in the minors before he’s ready to be activated. Rainey could take the full 30 days allowed before making his long-awaited season debut in mid-September.

Two other rehabbing pitchers threw Monday in West Palm Beach, Fla. Carl Edwards Jr. (out since June 21 with right shoulder inflammation) threw 23 pitches and battled some command issues, according to Martinez. Thaddeus Ward (out since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation) threw 36 pitches over two innings.