Former All-Star Álvarez hopes to complete journey back with Nats

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Henderson Álvarez threw a no-hitter in the big leagues in 2013. He was a National League All-Star in 2014. He started on opening day for the Marlins in 2015.

And he spent the 2018 season pitching for the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League.

It's not exactly a conventional career path, and it wasn't Álvarez's preference. But given his lack of options last year, he was willing to swallow his pride a bit and head south of the border in an attempt to restart his once-promising career.

"There were really no opportunities to come to the States and play last season," the right-hander said, via Nationals interpreter Octavio Martinez. "The teams down there were great for opening the doors for me and giving me the opportunity to pitch, which I felt I needed to do, as well as prove myself healthy. My ability was there, and I think that's one of the main reasons I am here now. We're here to do what we can to stay on the team."

"Here" is the major league clubhouse at Nationals spring training. After scouting him for two years on his comeback trail, the Nats offered Álvarez a minor league contract and an invitation to come to camp and try to make the club.

The odds are stacked against the 28-year-old, who stands perhaps eighth or ninth on the Nationals' rotation depth chart. A lot of things would have to go wrong this spring for Álvarez to head north with the big league team.

But if he pitches well, proves he's healthy and is willing to accept a minor league assignment, he could wind up finding his way to D.C. at some point in 2019, and that would complete an impressive journey back.

"This is a big opportunity for me to again be up here," he said. "It's an opportunity to prove that my arm is healthy and prove to everyone else I am back to where I need to be."

It wasn't that long ago that Álvarez was supposed to be a long-term cornerstone piece of the Marlins' rotation, along with the late Jose Fernandez and hard-throwing Nathan Eovaldi. Acquired as part of a monster 12-player trade in November 2012 that sent José Reyes, Mark Buehrle and others to the Blue Jays, Álvarez quickly established himself in Miami.

He posted a 3.59 ERA in 17 starts in 2013, the last of which was the aforementioned no-hitter on the season's final day. He went 12-7 with a 2.65 ERA in 2014, earning an All-Star selection. And that earned him the opening day nod in 2015 - after which everything fell apart.

Álvarez made only four starts that season due to a shoulder tear that required surgery. The Marlins released him at season's end, and though the Athletics signed him for the 2016 season he never made it back from rehab and required another shoulder surgery.

His long and winning journey back included a stint with the independent Long Island Ducks, a brief return to the majors with the Phillies in 2017, then his 2018 season spent pitching in Mexico and his native Venezuela.

Álvarez said he threw more than 200 innings last season, proving his shoulder was healthy again. The Nationals, who showed interest in him a year ago, came calling again and offered him this opportunity. And now he'll try to complete the road back, determined not to have done all of this in vain.

"It's a learning process," he said. "I learned that I need to work hard to maintain myself, whether it's maintaining my ability on the field as well as maintaining my health. I learned how to go about my work ethic when it comes to that, to make sure I stay on the field. I feel like if I'm able to or any of us are able to stay on the field, we can be up here a very long time."