Meneses gets chance to play first base, Ruiz gets chance to sit

MINNEAPOLIS – The role of designated hitter can be tougher than it sounds, especially for someone who has spent most of his career playing a position in the field but then finds himself only batting four times a game and watching the rest of the game from the dugout.

It’s admittedly been an adjustment for Joey Meneses through the first month of this season. Having played either first base or the outfield most of his professional life, the 30-year-old has become the Nationals’ everyday DH.

Perhaps that has something to do with Meneses’ slow start at the plate. He enters this afternoon’s game against the Twins batting .227/.266/.333 through his first 18 games, and he just finally hit his first home run Friday night.

“He’s trying to develop a routine DHing,” manager Davey Martinez said. “It’s tough when you’re DHing every day to find a routine, when you’ve never done it before.”

With that in mind, Martinez decided to have Meneses and Dominic Smith switch roles this afternoon. Though Smith is the superior defensive player, he’ll serve as DH and give Meneses a chance to play first base and keep himself more engaged in the game.

“I just want to get Joey on the field,” Martinez said. “With the quick turnaround, I wanted to give Dom basically a day off. Joey’s been DHing every day. I just want to get him a little bit more involved every now and then and play first base. I thought today would be a good day.”

Meneses appreciates the rare opportunity to both hit and play the field. Though he actually wasn’t complaining about serving as DH on Friday night for what proved to be the coldest game in Nationals history, with temperature at first pitch a bitter 37 degrees.

“Maybe it’s better this time, because I was designed hitter,” he joked after the game. “I came inside to stay warm. If I go outside, the wind is going to be cold.”

The other big change to today’s lineup: Keibert Ruiz is finally getting a well-deserved day off. The young catcher had started 10 consecutive games behind the plate and a league-leading 17 of the team’s first 19 games this season.

Martinez had planned all along to let Ruiz rest, starting Riley Adams for this day game. But did the manager have to reconsider after Ruiz drove in the game-winning run Friday, on the night he had been bumped up to the No. 2 spot in the lineup?

“I’ve got to be smart,” Martinez said with a laugh. “This is a quick turnaround. He’s doing well. I had to give him a day off. I told him: Just be ready in case we need you late in the game.”

So Adams makes only his third appearance of the season, his first in two weeks. It’s an awkward position, but one the 26-year-old backstop understands.

“He prepares himself well,” Martinez said. “He’s taken extra swings. He works diligently with (catching/strategy coach Henry Blanco) on his catching. And he’s a student. I gave him a heads-up a few days ago he was going to play, so he was already studying their hitters, how he wants to attack hitters with Chad Kuhl. I love him. He understands his role. He prepares himself. He’s going to get an opportunity to go out and play today.”