On Scherzer's workload, plus Eaton and Harper's hustle

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Max Scherzer wanted to throw 100 pitches Saturday in his final tune-up before his opening day start in Cincinnati. He wound up settling for a pitch count of 93, but seven full innings on the mound, tops among all Nationals starters this spring.

Exceptionally efficient early on - he only needed 40 pitches to complete his first four innings - Scherzer wound up not having a real chance to reach triple digits, unless he wanted to try to convince the coaching staff to let him return to the mound for the top of the eighth.

That wasn't going to happen.

"Nah, he was good," manager Davey Martinez said. "We talked the inning before and he said he was good. He did what he wanted."

It wasn't a perfect outing, by any stretch. After cruising early, Scherzer gave up four runs on seven hits to the Marlins during the fifth and sixth innings. Included during that stretch was a two-run homer by Yadiel Rivera, the fourth home run the Nats ace allowed in his last two starts (each versus Miami).

But Scherzer finished strong, retiring the side in the seventh. He wound up striking out nine batters without issuing a walk. And though he would have liked to throw another seven pitches, he was content to wrap up his spring on this note.

"I'm right where I want to be," he said. "Of coming out feeling strong. Of having command of all the pitches. That bodes well for going into the season right where I want to be."

Also seemingly ready to go are Bryce Harper and Adam Eaton, who each played with some extra sense of aggressiveness on Saturday.

Harper ran wild on the bases, reaching second base after Cameron Maybin booted his line drive to right in the bottom of the first. He tried to steal third after that but was thrown out. Two innings later, he tried to go first to third on a single to right and wound up getting thrown out by Maybin.

What was Martinez's takeaway from all that?

"I'm assuming that he's ready," the manager said with a laugh.

Martinez wasn't laughing as much about Eaton, who gave everyone a brief scare when he tracked down Cristhian Adames' foul ball down into the left field corner near the rolled-up tarp in the top of the second, making a leaping catch against the fence while also crashing into a ball boy.

Everybody emerged from the collision in one piece, a significant relief for the Nationals, who have watched Eaton test his reconstructed knee several times this spring and are confident he's 100 percent heading into the season.

"That scared me a little bit," Martinez said. "He said: 'I caught the ball, and I caught the bat boy.' Shocked him a little bit."

Today's Grapefruit League finale against the Cardinals will feature Stephen Strasburg on the mound and plenty of regulars in the lineup. But it won't include Ryan Zimmerman, who will end his spring having taken only two at-bats in big league games.

Zimmerman did get considerable playing time in minor league games over the last month, including on Saturday when he took seven or eight at-bats, according to Martinez. (With lax rules in those games, players are allowed to lead off every inning if they want to accrue extra at-bats.)

All of this has come at the request of Zimmerman, who believes with less spring wear and tear he'll be in better shape entering the season.

Martinez said "there's a good possibility" the 33-year-old first baseman will play Tuesday in the Nationals' home exhibition game against the Twins, setting him up for opening day Thursday in Cincinnati.