Nats make bullpen switch with Garcia ill, DFA utility man Alu

The Nationals haven’t completely overcome the flu bug that has taken down several corners of the clubhouse the last two weeks: They had to place another ill player on the injured list today because of it.

Reliever Robert Garcia became the latest victim, placed on the 15-day IL with influenza prior to tonight’s series opener against the Dodgers. The club purchased the contract of right-hander Jacob Barnes from Triple-A Rochester to fill the bullpen vacancy and designated minor league infielder Jake Alu for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

Garcia first was afflicted with the virus more than a week ago and was unable to pitch for several days during the Nationals’ West Coast trip. The left-hander did come back to appear three times in a four-game span at the end of the week but did not look himself, retiring only one of the seven Astros batters he faced Friday and Saturday, his fastball velocity down from 95-96 mph to 92-93 mph.

“We noticed his velo was way down, and he was trying to pitch through it,” manager Davey Martinez said. “I don’t want him to get hurt, so we’re going to take care of him.”

Garcia, whose transaction was backdated two days, joins Keibert Ruiz on the IL with the flu, but the catcher is healthy again and nearly ready to return. Ruiz, who lost 18-to-20 pounds while sick, begins what should be a brief rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg tonight and should be activated later this week.

Needing to fill Garcia’s spot in the bullpen, the Nationals had to decide whether to call up another left-hander or whether to call up the reliever who clearly was most deserving of a promotion. They went with the latter, summoning Barnes from Rochester, where he was dominating Triple-A hitters, allowing only one hit and two walks across eight innings of work.

Barnes, 34, has considerable big league experience, pitching in 265 games since 2016 with the Brewers, Royals, Angels, Mets, Blue Jays, Tigers, Yankees and Cardinals. His career numbers (4.76 ERA, 1.409 WHIP) don’t stand out, but he turned heads this spring in Nats camp, allowing only one earned run while striking out 15 in 10 1/3 exhibition innings.

Barnes wound up losing out to fellow veterans Matt Barnes and Derek Law for the final spots in the Opening Day bullpen but reported to Triple-A and continued to dominate there.

“Obviously as a competitor, it’s frustrating,” he said of not initially making the team. “But it’s the reality of this game. If you let it beat you, you’re not going to last very long in this game. So as soon as I found out, the next goal was to pitch as well as I could at Triple-A and then just wait for that opportunity.”

Though this move leaves the Nationals with zero lefties in their bullpen, Barnes was clearly the better option at this time than either Richard Bleier (four runs, 11 hits in nine innings) or Joe La Sorsa (six runs, nine hits in 6 2/3 innings).

“We have a couple lefties who could help us, but he was really throwing the ball well,” Martinez said. “And hopefully he continues that here and he can help us in situations where we need him to help us. When a guy is doing that well, he deserves to be up here.”

Because Barnes originally signed a minor league contract, the Nationals had to clear a 40-man roster spot before calling him up. They chose to DFA Alu, the 27-year-old utilityman who tore up Triple-A in 2022-23 and then made his major league debut last season. Alu, who had a .571 OPS in 51 games with the Nats, was off to a slow start in Rochester this year, slashing .190/.262/.276 in 15 games.

If he goes unclaimed, Alu will be outrighted off the 40-man roster but remain in the organization.

* Josiah Gray is ramping up his rehab program, now throwing from 75 feet on flat ground only two weeks after he landed on the 15-day IL with a forearm strain.

Gray, the team’s Opening Day starter who struggled in both of his appearances before going on the IL, is progressing at a good pace. Martinez didn’t put a timetable on his eventual return to the rotation but said the right-hander shouldn’t need to be treated like a pitcher who has to start from scratch following a more significant injury.

* Cade Cavalli threw 96 mph during a recent 60-pitch bullpen session, further evidence the right-hander is nearing the final stages of his rehab from Tommy John surgery.

Cavalli, who has been targeting a June return to the Nationals, will get up to 75 pitches before he begins facing live hitters at extended spring training in West Palm Beach. That will set him up to go on a minor league rehab assignment, the final step in his 14-month rehab program.