Kendrick resumes light work but faces tight timeline (Nats lose 3-2)

JUPITER, Fla. - Though his chances of returning from a strained left hamstring in time to make the Nationals' opening day roster are questionable, Howie Kendrick is beginning to take some steps toward his return.

Kendrick, who hurt himself running down the first base line six days ago, has begun riding a stationary bicycle and taking swings in the batting cage. Those are merely the first attempts at physical activity before he's cleared to ramp things up.

"He's coming along," manager Davey Martinez said. "He jogged very, very light. But we're going to keep him away from really running for a while."

Kendrick already spent the winter furiously rehabbing from a ruptured right Achilles tendon and surprised club officials when he reported for spring training ready to fully participate in all drills. He played in five of the Nationals' first 10 Grapefruit League games, going 2-for-10 with two RBIs before pulling up lame running down the first base line against the Red Sox.

An MRI revealed what the club termed a "mild strain" and shut Kendrick down for the short term, though the 35-year-old expressed confidence he wouldn't be sidelined long and wouldn't rule out a return in time for opening day.

Even if he's cleared for baseball activities within the next week, Kendrick would face a rushed timeline to get himself back into playing shape and appear in enough games to be ready to head north on time.

If Kendrick doesn't make the roster, the Nationals would have an open bench spot that could go either to infielder Adrián Sanchez, outfielder Andrew Stevenson, or non-roster invitees Brandon Snyder or Matt Reynolds.

Other injury updates ...

* Koda Glover has not yet been cleared to resume throwing, and the Nationals are taking an exceptionally cautious approach with the oft-injured reliever. Glover, who came down with a forearm strain following his first appearance of the spring, expressed confidence at the time he'd be ready for opening day. That doesn't appear to be a realistic goal at this point, much as was the case last spring when he was shut down with a shoulder injury and didn't make it back to game action until July.

"With Koda, as we learned, we have to be really careful with him, until he's 100 percent and ready to start throwing," Martinez said. "I always joke with him, because he'll tell you he's ready to go. But until you're released from (the trainers' room), then we'll go from there. But you're in their hands now."

* Justin Miller emerged from Sunday's relief appearance feeling well, and there don't appear to be any lingering issues with the lower back strain that had sidelined him eight days.

"He feels good," Martinez said. "And he looked like he was back to normal yesterday, which was nice."

Update: Today's game got off to a strong start for the Nationals, who took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first via Juan Soto's two-strike RBI single to center. But they missed a chance to add a run in the third when Soto singled to right but watched as Dexter Fowler fired a perfect strike to nail Adam Eaton at the plate. Then things fell apart in the field in the bottom of the third. Max Scherzer cruised through his first two innings on 27 pitches, but four straight Cardinals reached base in the third, the first three of them scoring. It wasn't particularly Scherzer's fault, because the rally included a soft fly ball to left-center that fell in between Soto and Michael A. Taylor, then a line drive to deep center that Taylor misread into a two-run double. All of that leaves the Nats trailing 3-1 after three.

Update II: Scherzer wound up going 5 1/3 innings today, building his pitch count up to 75. He finished strong, retiring 10 of the last 11 batters he faced, with some help from his defense. Brian Dozier robbed Harrison Bader with a full-extension diving catch of a line drive up the middle. Soto also made a leaping grab at the left field wall to rob Matt Carpenter. So the Cardinals had some solid contact off Scherzer, but the ace also didn't deserve to be charged with three runs.

Final update: Kurt Suzuki's base hit drove home Matt Reynolds in the seventh, but that would be the Nats' last score. Reynolds singled with one out in the ninth but Matt Wieters threw him out as he tried to steal second. Pedro Severino then doubled, but Hunter Jones lined out to first. Final score: Cardinals 3, Nationals 2.