Robles reinstated from IL, Call optioned to Rochester

Victor Robles walked into the Nationals clubhouse with a little more hop in his step than he had over the past month-plus. He wasn’t very mobile or flexible while dealing with a back injury that had him on the 10-day injured list since May 8.

Robles was back to his energetic self today because he was returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated to the active roster this afternoon, while Alex Call was optioned to Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move.

“We made a move today before the game,” manager Davey Martinez said to open his pregame media session ahead of tonight’s opener against the Marlins. “Victor is back with us. He checked all the boxes down there. He feels really good. So we optioned Call down. Look, I can't say enough about Alex. He played unbelievable defense for us. He was out there every day. He's an unbelievable competitor, a good teammate. We want to send him down and kind of get his swing straightened out a little bit. I don't think it'll be the last you've seen of Alex. But he was struggling a little bit with the bat. So we get Victor back. He was swinging the bat really well before he got hurt. So hopefully he'll jump-start us again.”

Robles was off to a good start to the season, hitting .292 with four doubles, a triple, eight RBIs, 10 walks, 13 runs and eight stolen bases in 31 games before he was placed on the IL. And he continued that success in his rehab in Rochester, reaching base in all four games and going 4-for-7 (.571) with a double, two home runs, five RBIs, a walk and five runs scored in his final two outings with the Red Wings.

The 26-year-old is back in center field and batting eighth tonight as the Nats face reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara. But even as he’s thrust back into the starting lineup, the Nats will continue to monitor how his back is feeling.

“We'll keep an eye on him,” Martinez said. “But he said he felt really good. But these first few days, we'll take day by day and see where he's at. If he can bounce back and play, then we'll play him. If he's sore a little bit, then we'll definitely keep an eye on him.”

The decision of who to send down seemed to be between Call and Stone Garrett. Call provided solid defense in center field and speed on the bases, but he has struggled at the plate since taking over everyday duties after Robles got hurt.

Call hit .209 with a .590 OPS, three home runs, nine doubles, 20 RBIs, 26 walks, 24 runs and six stolen bases in 64 games for the Nationals. His .291 slugging percentage is the second-worst among major leaguers who have taken at least 200 plate appearances this season. Only the Marlins’ Jean Segura is worse (.234).

Garrett is slashing .263/.309/.386 with a .695 OPS, five doubles, three homers, 15 RBIs, six walks and two stolen bases in 39 games.

Plus, what Call does well (play solid defense in center and bring speed to the basepaths) is also what Robles does well. So the Nats chose to keep Garrett’s power potential.

“Stone gives us a threat, especially against left-handed pitching,” Martinez said of the decision between Garrett and Call. “He got an opportunity against a righty yesterday and hit two bullets. When he hits the ball, he hits the ball hard. So there's some value with him being here. So right now we chose Alex Call and Garrett's gonna play against left-handed pitching. He's been doing well.”

Was Call’s offensive struggles more of a mechanical issue or rooted in his approach at the plate?

“I think a little bit of both, I really do,” Martinez said. “And I think towards the end there he started to press a little bit, trying to get hits. So I think this will kind of reset him a little bit, hopefully get him going again and then we'll see what transpires here. We still got a lot of baseball left, so I'm sure down the road somewhere we'll probably need Alex again. But I want to get him going. Look, he could play. We saw some good things that he's done. So we definitely want him to get his swing going and get him back to where we think he could be.”

* Tanner Rainey made a significant step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander threw 45 pitches in a bullpen session at the Nationals’ spring training complex in West Palm Beach. It was the most he’s been able to throw off a mound during his rehab program.

The Nationals will continue to slowly ramp him up, have him throw some live BP sessions and maybe get him into some Rookie-level Florida Complex League games by early-to-mid July.

“Rainey threw the ball really well,” Martinez said. “He threw 45 pitches. He felt great. So he's progressing well.”