Burnett and Latos appreciative of chance to return to majors

NEW YORK - Sean Burnett and Mat Latos each has been a successful big league pitcher, yet each found himself on the outside looking in all summer, for different reasons.

So when each pitcher found himself inside the visitors clubhouse at Citi Field this afternoon, a Nationals uniform waiting in each locker, there were no shortage of emotions, not to mention some genuine gratitude for an opportunity neither necessarily thought would be afforded.

"It's incredible," Burnett said. "It's awesome. It was a surprise yesterday to get called to the office and get told I was coming up here. It's just been an unbelievable year. I've experienced a lot this year I didn't expect to. To get the call, it's been pretty cool."

"I'm excited, a little overwhelmed about being here, given what I've gone through in the past two years or so," Latos said. "It's been a long journey. It's been a little tough. But it's fun, nonetheless."

The Nationals promoted seven players to their big league roster today in their first round of September call-ups. For young players like Trevor Gott, Matt Grace, Rafael Martin, Pedro Severino and Brian Goodwin, this is an opportunity to gain more big league experience and make an impression on the organization for the long-term.

For Burnett and Latos, this is different. This is a reward for hard work in the face of adversity. And, just perhaps, a chance to make a difference on a first-place club during the stretch run.

Burnett is back in the big leagues for the first time since 2014, when an elbow tear led to the second Tommy John surgery of his career. He hasn't pitched regularly in the majors since 2012 with the Nationals, when he was a key member of the National League East champions' bullpen.

Burnett nearly made the Nationals bullpen out of spring training, when he tossed 8 2/3 scoreless innings, but he was part of the final cut out of concern how his arm would hold up over a long season. He wound up pitching for three other organizations (the Dodgers, Braves and Twins) at Triple-A, but never got the call despite strong numbers.

After all that, it was only natural for doubts to start creeping into the 33-year-old lefty's head.

"I'm not going to say I was willing to quit and throw in the towel, but there were times where you went back to the hotel room and wondered if it ever was going to happen," Burnett said. "I had a talk with the family, had good teammates that pushed me along and helped me grind through it. But the minor leagues isn't easy, especially when you're changing leagues all the time like I was. I never wanted to throw the towel in, but there were times when mentally I got to low places."

The Nationals gave Burnett another chance last month, though, and they proved to offer the path back to the majors he sought all along.

"To go through what I did, to have this opportunity, it's very special," he said. "It's funny how I worked a whole circle from spring training back to here. This is where I wanted to be originally. It's where I signed in spring training and worked my tail off to try to make the team. It's pretty cool to come back here, to a first-place team, a team that could make the postseason. Hopefully I can do my part."

Latos was in the big leagues at the start of the season, with the White Sox, but found himself unemployed after a brutal stretch where his velocity dropped and opponents battered him around the park, including the Nationals (who roughed him up for six runs on June 7).

Dusty Baker has been a longtime supporter of Latos, though, citing the success the right-hander had during their time together in Cincinnati from 2012-13. So Baker pushed the Nationals to offer Latos a minor league contract, and the 28-year-old proceeded to work his way back the hard way. He pitched in the rookie Gulf Coast League in Viera, Fla., then earned a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse, where he allowed just two earned runs in 17 innings.

With a history of causing trouble in the clubhouse, Latos doesn't join the Nationals with a sparkling reputation. But he seemed genuinely appreciative of the opportunity he's now getting, which has perhaps left him more humble.

"I don't want to say it's a jolt of energy or anything. I think it's more anxiety, nerves and stuff like that," he said. "I'm excited. When I found out from the get-go, it was something that was really exciting. And being back up with (Baker) and a couple guys I know, plus some guys I got to know in the minor leagues, I'm really excited. It was a fun plane ride and fun cab ride over here."