Nats' four-man rotation creates crowded bullpen

The Nationals are proceeding for now with a four-man rotation, taking advantage of three scheduled off-days in the span of a week. But they're still keeping their current No. 5 starter, plus another starting prospect, on the pitching staff as relievers for this weekend's series against the Mets.

With Erick Fedde, Joe Ross and Patrick Corbin scheduled to start the next three days at Citi Field, then an off-day Monday, there was no need to use a fifth starter. Max Scherzer will take the mound Tuesday night in Dunedin, Fla., against the Blue Jays, and even then the ace will have an extra day of rest since he last pitched Wednesday at home against the Cardinals.

That means there's no need for Paolo Espino to make another start. But the right-hander, who was summoned from the club's alternate training site in Fredericksburg at the last minute last weekend to replace the injured Stephen Strasburg, remains on the active roster for now.

Espino is available to pitch out of the bullpen tonight, manager Davey Martinez said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters.

"I kind of like him there," Martinez said. "He can do a lot of different things. I know he's started, he's been stretched out. But he can pitch out of the bullpen as well. So for right now, tonight, he'll be available if we need him, and then we'll go from there."

Also in the Nationals' nine-man 'pen for now is Steven Fuentes, the 23-year-old prospect who was called up earlier in the week to give the club a fresh arm for long relief if needed, but has yet to make his major league debut. Martinez wants to get a look at Fuentes, but wants to make sure it's the right situation (i.e. probably not in a tight ballgame when other more experienced relievers are available).

"I want to get him in a game," the manager said. "He's been pitching well at the alternate site. So we'll see how the game goes, and if it's a good matchup, we'll get him in there. And I talked to him about just be prepared to pitch. Don't think you're just going to sit there and wait for either a blowout either way. Just be ready to pitch."

The Nationals' current bullpen features only five pitchers who were originally supposed to make the club: Brad Hand, Daniel Hudson, Tanner Rainey, Kyle Finnegan and Austin Voth. Because of injuries to Will Harris, Wander Suero and Luis Avilán, spots have now opened up for Sam Clay, Kyle McGowin and Fuentes. Add Espino to the group and there is no shortage of arms at a time when they probably aren't all needed.

The Nationals figure to return to a five-man rotation once Jon Lester is ready to come off the COVID-19-related IL. That move, though, won't happen until next week at the earliest.

Lester is scheduled to start another simulated game in Fredericksburg on Sunday - his third since he was cleared to come out of quarantine - during which he's scheduled to throw six innings or 90 pitches. Martinez wouldn't commit to any plan beyond that, but it stands to reason that Lester would be activated and join the Nationals rotation if he emerges from this next start feeling strong.

* Ryan Zimmerman isn't in tonight's lineup, nor was he for any game of the Nationals' last series against the Cardinals. In fact, Zimmerman hasn't even appeared in a game since Sunday, when he started at first base against Diamondbacks left-hander Madison Bumgarner.

There's nothing physically wrong with the 36-year-old, Martinez insists. The situation just hasn't presented itself for Zimmerman to enter a game all week.

"He's totally fine," the manager said. "I'm going to try to get him into one of these games here (this weekend). ... We had him on deck a couple times to pinch-hit. It just didn't work out. But he feels good."

Zimmerman apparently feels so good, he actually took some grounders at shortstop and some fly balls in the outfield earlier this week at Nationals Park. Before anyone starts getting ideas, Martinez says Zimmerman was just having fun, wasn't attempting any long throws from the outfield and there's no plan to use him anywhere other than first base during a game.

Speaking of first base, despite plenty of suggestions during the winter and spring that Zimmerman would probably be used as a late-game defensive replacement for Josh Bell, it hasn't happened yet this season. That's both a product of game situations and an attempt by Martinez to show confidence in Bell, whose past defensive struggles are well documented.

"He's worked super, super hard on his defense with (infield coach) Tim Bogar, and he's gotten better," Martinez said of Bell. "He's been picking balls, staying down on balls, he's been working diligently on getting better all around on his defense and it shows.

"The other thing is, it's really hard to take his bat out of the lineup. Especially the close games that we've been playing. We want to keep his bat in the lineup and it gives us a chance to utilize Zim as a pinch-hitter more that way. But I definitely like what I see. There will come a time, yeah, where I'll probably leave Zim in if we pinch-hit him, we have to double-switch, he'll stay in the game. But (Bell) has definitely gotten a lot better at first base."