Harris seeing specialist after blood clot found in arm (updated)

Will Harris is leaving camp to be examined by a specialist in St. Louis after a blood clot was discovered in his right arm, a potentially serious condition for the veteran right-hander and one that could test a Nationals bullpen that likely won't be as deep on opening night as projected only a few weeks ago.

"It's hard, because medically I don't know the extent of what that is," manager Davey Martinez said in a Zoom session with reporters this afternoon. "But I know it's something that is serious. We need to take care of it, take care of it as soon as possible."

Harris, 36, has pitched in only two Grapefruit League games this spring, but he also pitched an inning in a B game March 13 in West Palm Beach, Fla. He reported feeling "weird" following that most recent outing, and the Nationals had him undergo an MRI, which revealed what Martinez called "a little, small blood clot" in Harris' throwing arm.

Harris is now scheduled to travel to St. Louis to be examined by specialist Robert Thompson of Washington University, who has treated a number of professional athletes, including pitchers who were diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome.

Though the Nationals won't know the seriousness of Harris' condition until he is examined by Thompson, even in a best-case scenario, it seems unlikely he'd be able to start the season 13 days from now. In a more serious scenario, he could miss significant time.

"I don't know much about what's going to happen here," said Martinez, who notably dealt with a heart condition in September 2019. "But for me, when somebody mentions something like that, it's kind of a scary deal. Until we know more about it, then I've got to assume that he's going to not start with us this season. Plus, he's missed some time. But until we get a clear understanding of what exactly is going to happen, I can't comment on it as much as what I know now."

The Nationals have been counting on Harris to serve as one of several key late-inning relievers in a bullpen they believed would be their strongest and deepest in some time. Signed to a three-year, $24 million deal prior to the 2020 season, he dealt with some minor ailments last summer and finished with a respectable 3.06 ERA but a hefty 1.698 WHIP in 20 appearances.

Now entering the second year of his deal, Harris noted last month he was feeling healthy and was eager to have a full spring training to build his arm up after last summer's rush job for an abbreviated season.

"I didn't quite hold myself too over the coals about (my 2020 performance), just because of my body," Harris said on Feb. 21. "And the way I didn't feel as good as normal last year, I think, had a lot to do with just the circumstances, the quickness of how spring training was and all those things. This is much more normal this year, and so I'm looking forward to it, hitting the ground running."

Only two weeks ago, the Nationals envisioned opening the season with five experienced late-inning relievers, with left-hander Brad Hand and righty Daniel Hudson as anchors and Harris joining fellow righties Tanner Rainey and Jeremy Jeffress in a setup role. But then Jeffress, a late signee to a minor league contract despite a solid track record, was surprisingly released for what general manager Mike Rizzo would only refer to as "personnel reasons."

Now with Harris expected to miss at least some time, the Nats are down to three of those original five experienced late-inning relievers: Hand, Hudson and Rainey, who dealt with his own minor muscle strain this spring and is only now ready to make his game debut.

Martinez is already looking at two promising, but less-experienced right-handers - Wander Suero and Kyle Finnegan - to help fill the void and take on increased responsibility.

"It's going to be a tough role to fill, but we've got some guys that are throwing the ball well," the manager said. "These guys are all going to have to pitch well. We'll have to figure out which guy is going to help pitch in the back end of the bullpen. Could be Suero, could be Finnegan, could be someone else. But the good thing is, I said before, there is depth that we have this year, so that's kind of nice."

Update: The Nationals announced three roster moves before tonight's game against the Astros: Catcher Tres Barrera, left-hander Ben Braymer and right-hander Steven Fuentes all were optioned to Triple-A Rochester. Those three players, who are on the organization's 40-man roster, will continue to work out and may even appear in Grapefruit League games, and then figure to open the season at the planned alternate training site in Fredericksburg before the delayed Triple-A season begins in May.