Martinez out of hospital, not cleared to travel yet

ST. LOUIS - Davey Martinez has been released from the hospital and has returned to his home in Washington, but doctors have not yet cleared him to travel, so the Nationals manager will miss at least his team's three-game series against the Cardinals.

Martinez, who felt chest pain during the sixth inning of Sunday's win over the Braves, was taken to a D.C. hospital, where he underwent a cardiac catheterization Monday. He won't need any more procedures, according to general manager Mike Rizzo, only follow-up tests "down the road."

"He's feeling much better, and the doctor said that as soon as he is good to travel, he can rejoin us," Rizzo said. "And once he does rejoin us, he will be full-go, no limitations, 100 percent, hopefully for a long time. For the rest of this season. For a long time."

Rizzo wouldn't put a timetable on Martinez's return, so it's not yet clear if he'll travel to Miami for this weekend's road series, the last one on the Nationals' regular season schedule.

Rizzo did say the 53-year-old skipper had "more energy" today during their phone conversation and was eager to rehash the details of Monday night's 4-2 loss to the Cardinals.

"We talked a little health and a lot of baseball," Rizzo said. "So it was kind of normal."

Though the Nationals haven't revealed what the cardiac catheterization revealed or addressed, Rizzo suggested there are no significant concerns and no future surgeries needed.

"Nothing major," the GM said. "The procedure is the only thing that he had. He's going to take some further testing down the road, but there is nothing vital that he has to take now. That's to monitor him for the long term."

Bench coach Chip Hale will continue to manage in Martinez's place, at least through this three-game series at Busch Stadium and potentially beyond. The veteran coach and former Diamondbacks skipper has made a point to treat this just like any other day on the job. He has been using a locker in the coaches' room, not the manager's office. He's collaborating with the rest of the staff on the daily pregame and in-game rituals.

The message: Hale is not the Nationals' new manager.

"One hundred percent," he said. "We're just filling in. ... We're just trying to execute the plan that we all come up with. And Davey is a big part of it. I would never do that. I don't sit in the front seat on the bus. That's his spot. I think that's just pure respect."