Rainey has work to do before Nats bring him back (game delayed)

Tanner Rainey's return to the Nationals bullpen Thursday was as brief as it was disappointing, but it didn't change the club's intentions for the right-hander.

Rainey, who had been optioned to Triple-A at the start of the month, was called up as the Nats' designated 27th man for their doubleheader against the Mets. Then, after giving up a two-run homer to Jonathan Villar in the sixth inning of what wound up a 5-4, seven-inning loss, he was optioned back to Rochester.

That decision wasn't necessarily reflective of Rainey's performance in Thursday's game. The Nationals still view the 28-year-old as in something of a rehab mode following a long stint on the injured list with a stress reaction in his lower right leg, in addition to the pure pitching improvements they'd like him to make as well.

"I view this as both," manager Davey Martinez said today in his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "This year has been tough for him as far as injuries are concerned. We just want to build him up, get him ready. And then when he does come back, it is to pitch - between him and (Kyle) Finnegan - either in the eighth or ninth inning."

Rainey entered the season as a prominent member of the bullpen, tasked with setting up Daniel Hudson and Brad Hand. The trade deadline departures of both veterans should have opened the door for Rainey to assume closer duties for the first time in his career, but his struggles and injuries have left him on the outside while Finnegan gets the majority of opportunities now.

Long-term, the Nationals still view Rainey as a potential closer for them, once healthy and effective. Before they can try him out again in that role, though, he needs to increase his workload at Triple-A and straighten out the mechanical issues that have left him with a gaudy 7.62 ERA and 1.808 WHIP in 32 big league appearances this season.

"He's only been (pitching) every other day," Martinez said. "The plan is now to get him to try to go back-to-back days, continue to build him up. ... Like I've said before, the future for him is to pitch at the back end of the bullpen, whether it's to close or set up. But I want to make sure he can go back-to-back days."

With Rainey back in Rochester, the Nationals decided to keep Sean Nolin on the big league pitching staff for the time being. The 31-year-old left-hander was called up from Triple-A this week and started the first game of Thursday's doubleheader, giving up four runs on eight hits in three innings.

Because of off-days, the Nationals shouldn't need Nolin to make another start in the foreseeable future. So if he sticks, it will be in the bullpen, which has no other lefties after Hand was traded to the Blue Jays and Sam Clay was demoted to Rochester.

"I'm going to talk to him about possibly pitching out of the bullpen," Martinez said. "Right now, he's the only lefty we have. So if he can come out of the bullpen, that would be great. But we'll see what this next week brings us."

For now, the Nationals plan to start Patrick Corbin on Saturday and Paolo Espino on Sunday. Joe Ross and Erick Fedde would be lined up to face the Blue Jays on Tuesday and Wednesday in a two-game interleague series that has off-days scheduled on both ends.

Update: The start of tonight's game is delayed as severe storms approach the area. For now, the Nationals still hope to play tonight.