Stevenson, Taylor to share right field job for final stretch

With Adam Eaton out for the final two weeks of the season with a fractured index finger, the Nationals needed to figure out who's going to start in right field the rest of the way. Their decision: Andrew Stevenson and Michael A. Taylor.

Stevenson was recalled from the club's alternate training site in Fredericksburg this afternoon, with fellow outfielder Yadiel Hernández optioned back down after a disappointing first week in the majors.

The reason for that swap of left-handed-hitting corner outfielders? Stevenson is better equipped to handle regular starts at this point than Hernández, who struggled in his limited opportunity to play.

"I just want to see (Stevenson) get some at-bats up here," manager Davey Martinez said during his Zoom session with reporters before the opener of tonight's doubleheader in Miami. "He deserves it. He worked really hard in Fredericksburg, kept in shape. He's a great guy, a good teammate, was swinging the bat well down there. So I wanted to give him an opportunity."

Martinez said Stevenson will get most of the starts in right field against right-handed pitchers, with Taylor starting against most lefties.

Hernández, a 32-year-old rookie who finally made his big league debut five years after he defected from Cuba, went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts. Martinez assured him he'll get another chance soon enough.

"He's going to be fine," the manager said. "I told him: 'It's your first stint. I know you can hit. I know you can swing the bat. I know you can play. Don't worry about it. You're going to get another opportunity, I'm sure. Just hang in there. You never know what happens, even in the next few days. Just stay ready.'

"He appreciated it. He thanked me for the opportunity, and I told him this is not the last we'll see of you, believe me."

Brock Holt also rejoins the active roster after heading home to Boston to be with his wife for the birth of their second child earlier in the week. He and Jake Noll will be getting at-bats off the bench, the latter getting a chance to stick in the big leagues to see if he has a future as a super-utilityman.

"He could do a bunch of things for us," Martinez said. "The biggest thing is, he's had a couple good at-bats here. I know he was swinging the bat well in Fredericksburg. I just wanted him to stick around. ... He's the kind of guy I really like, because he could do a lot of different things."

Note: Martinez said he hasn't decided yet who will join Max Scherzer in starting Sunday's doubleheader against the Marlins, but it will be someone already on the big league staff.

The most logical choice appears to be left-hander Ben Braymer, who has been pitching out of the bullpen since coming up from Fredericksburg but has been stretched out enough to throw 50-to-60 pitches as a starter.

"I would like to see Braymer get a start and see how he handles that, 'cause he's done that in the minor leagues," Martinez said. "See if he can get us maybe two times through the order. I've put these guys in different situations to see how they react. At this point, we want to see what we have."