Rookie Michael A. Taylor arrives in grand fashion

Off the field, at least to the media, Nationals rookie Michael A. Taylor portrays a shy demeanor. On the field, the 23-year old plays the game loudly and without fear.

Consider some of these moments in his early 40-game career. He wasted no time collecting his first career homer as it came in his major league debut last August on the road at Citi Field. Then, with Denard Span out at the start of this year, Taylor was given the honor of filling the leadoff role and being the Nats' first batter of the season. He calmly stood in and delivered a base hit against 40-year-old Mets starter Bartolo Colon, a former Cy Young Award winner. And just a few weeks before that, Taylor launched two home runs off Tigers ace Justin Verlander in a spring game, leaving the former MVP and Cy Young winner impressed with the youngster.

The latter prompted these lofty comments from Nationals manager Matt Williams.

"He's got power, arguably the best power we've got," Williams said of Taylor. "I mean, you watch him take batting practice, it's pretty phenomenal."

That power was on full display in the top of the ninth inning yesterday. Taylor had been forced into a unique situation: replace Bryce Harper after the game's hottest player was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the seventh inning. So wouldn't you know it, with the Nats trailing by one in their last at-bat, Harper's spot came up in the order. Denard Span, Yunel Escobar and Jayson Werth, all veterans over 30 years old, filled the bases for the rookie Taylor.

In the pressure-packed situation, Taylor stood in against Diamondbacks closer Addison Reed. And on Reed's 1-0 fastball, Taylor violently connected. It was gone off the bat, a no-doubter mashed deep to straightaway center field for the kid's first career grand slam.

"I'm really just trying to breathe right there and not do too much," the understated Taylor said after the game in Arizona.

Williams wasn't surprised with the result.

"He got a fastball down in the strike zone and did what he had to with it," he said to reporters.

Taylor started the first 12 games of the season until Span returned from the disabled list and performed more than respectably with a .271 batting average, two homers, three doubles, a triple and eight RBIs. But with a desire to allow him to play more consistently, the Nationals opted to send him back to Triple-A Syracuse when Span arrived.

Taylor responded to the demotion loudly, hitting .385 with a homer and four RBIs in just eight games in the minors before being recalled after a foot injury sent Nationals outfielder Reed Johnson to the disabled list.

Taylor has received a handful of starts on rest days for Span and Werth since his return, as his role has changed to a bench player.

"Anytime I can get in the game it's fun and exciting," Taylor said. "I just go out there and try to do what I do to help the team. You know, the at-bats will come and chances will come so I just try to stay ready."

Taylor appears to be settling in with his teammates as well. When Harper ripped his walk-off bomb last Saturday to beat the Braves, it was Taylor running on the field providing the ice water bath at home plate. And three days before, after Werth hit his first home run of the season and then watched Harper crush three dingers, Taylor sarcastically jabbed at the veteran, "You lost the derby."

Werth first saw Taylor during a minor league rehab stint at Single-A Potomac in 2012.

"I really liked his swing," Werth said to reporters after yesterday's game. "I liked him as a player. I felt like he just needed to develop a little more. Then last year he had a big year. He hit a bunch of home runs and when he came up, I thought he was pretty polished. I think he's got a chance to be a good player especially with the power he's shown in spring training and so far this season. There's a lot to like there. He does a lot of things that can help us win."

That's exactly what Taylor did yesterday in helping the Nats to their fifth series victory in a row.

"It felt pretty good," Taylor said. "Normally I try not to smile when I'm running around the bases but I just couldn't help it right there. It felt good to help my team win."