Hellickson focuses on fastballs, changeups in first bullpen session

PHILADELPHIA - Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson threw 30 pitches off a bullpen mound Wednesday afternoon, his first time since going on the disabled list, but didn't test his sprained right wrist by throwing curveballs yet.

"It's just like any other thing. You've got to take it slow and listen to what our trainers tell us to do, and it's feeling better every day," said Hellickson, who has been on the DL since Aug. 18, three days after he injured the wrist trying to break his fall during a collision on a play at the plate in Atlanta.

He stayed away from curveballs because he still experiences pain in the joint when throwing that pitch.

"It felt fine," Hellickson said. "It's been feeling good for a few days. Like I said, I didn't throw any curveballs. Fastball, changeup felt good."

While he didn't throw any curveballs, Hellickson has mimicked the wrist rotation he'd need to use the pitch.

"It feels good when I just kind of cast it, so I think it's just trying to get the hard curveball down," he said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow, if it's achy or not. But it felt good today."

Manager Davey Martinez seemed pleased with Hellickson's progress and agreed with the righty's decision to avoid the curveball for now.

"He said he felt good," Martinez said. "He didn't throw any curveballs. All fastballs, changeups. We'll see how he feels tomorrow and he'll probably throw another bullpen. Bump him up to about 55, 60 pitches."

"His arm feels great. He says he feels good. He told me he got a little tired ... because it was hot. So I understand that. But he said the wrist felt pretty good. We didn't want him to throw the curveball because he says that's where the initial pain is."

Hellickson said he would probably throw another bullpen session on Saturday in D.C. if he has no repercussions tomorrow.

* Bryce Harper was missing from the Nationals lineup for Wednesday's finale for the same reason he was pulled early from Tuesday night's game: He's not feeling well.

"He's sick. He's had a bad cough," Martinez said. "He's been on medication. It sounds off, so we're just trying to give him a day."

Martinez said Harper's hack had become progressively worse - "Lysol bad," he called it - and that he didn't want to risk the slugger getting any sicker. Harper is taking medication and is available off the bench tonight, the manager said.

With Harper out, Juan Soto remained in the lineup. Soto is hitting cleanup and playing left field.

The 19-year-old rookie is playing in his 49th straight game, though Martinez said he might look to give Soto a breather sometime this weekend. The manager said Thursday's scheduled off-day gives him some latitude in planning when to rest Soto, who has yet to ask for time off.

Soto leads all qualified major league rookies in on-base percentage (.409) and on-base plus slugging (.901). He ranks second in slugging percentage (.502) and third in batting average (.290). Soto's 15 homers are sixth among teenagers in major league history.

* Rosters can expand past the normal 25-man limit beginning Saturday, though Martinez said the Nationals would wait for the minor league seasons to finish Monday before summoning any reinforcements.

Martinez expects to discuss roster expansion with management when the team returns to D.C. to begin a three-game series against the Brewers on Friday. It's likely a combination of players who have already appeared in Washington and a couple of players who will be rewarded for their 2018 performances will be added to the roster.