PITTSBURGH – One day after lamenting a lack of “intensity” from his beleaguered relief corps, Nationals manager Davey Martinez summoned the entire group to his office for a pump-you-up meeting prior to tonight’s game against the Pirates.
The message of that session?
“I just wanted to let them know it’s early,” Martinez said. “We’ve only played 10 percent of our games. We’ve still got 90 percent of our games left. … I just want them to stay positive, keep their heads up. We’ve got a lot of baseball left.”
Nationals relievers entered the day with a 6.91 ERA and 1.921 WHIP, both worst in the majors by a healthy amount. Each of the last two days, they’ve turned winnable games into blowouts, surrendering a combined seven runs over 5 2/3 innings.
After Monday’s 10-3 loss, Martinez noted there needs to be more intensity shown from some relievers when entering a close game, even if the team is trailing by a couple of runs. Today, he decided to bring the entire group together, offering his own thoughts but also opening the floor for the pitchers themselves to speak up.
“I want guys to hear other guys talk,” he said. “When you get them in a group like that, amongst their peers, they seem to buy in. I could say a lot, but when they start to hear it from their teammates, it means an awful lot. They all spoke up today, and it was great.”
* CJ Abrams was out on the field this afternoon running and testing out his right hip, an encouraging sign about the shortstop’s chances of returning from the injured list in short order.
Abrams went on the 10-day IL on Saturday with a right hip flexor strain, an injury aggravated while trying to make a play in the field the previous night in Miami. He’s eligible to return April 22 against the Orioles, and there’s some optimism he could be ready to play the opener of that weeklong homestand.
“He’s definitely making good progress,” Martinez said. “He hit in the cage. He’s doing some strengthening, and it’s coming along really well. Hopefully by the time his (IL) stint is up, he’ll be ready to go and back on the field.”
There are still some key hurdles for Abrams to cross. Most notably, he needs to show he can move well at shortstop without experiencing continued discomfort in his hip.
“The stop-and-go is going to be the key,” Martinez said. “The way he hurt himself was going lateral on a ball. That’s going to be the key. Once we get him out there catching ground balls and having that lateral movement, when he can do that, he’ll be ready.”
* Michael Soroka is scheduled to throw a simulated game here Wednesday afternoon, his first time facing live hitters since his March 31 season debut in Toronto.
Soroka, who departed that game in the sixth inning with a right biceps strain, was able to resume throwing about a week later and is now ready to pitch in a game-like situation.
If his sim game goes well, the right-hander will probably go on a minor league rehab assignment and pitch at least once, maybe twice, to build his arm back up before he returns from the 15-day IL. Brad Lord has taken his spot in the rotation since.
* The Nationals could get some bullpen help in the near future with Zach Brzykcy finally ready to pitch in minor league games after suffering a right quad strain during spring training.
Brzykcy began a rehab assignment with Single-A Fredericksburg tonight, the first of several games he should pitch in as he works to get himself back into shape. If all goes well, the right-hander could be activated off the 15-day IL and join the big league bullpen in the next few weeks.