Thomas' dizzying trip up and down the lineup

SEATTLE – Lane Thomas has been in the Nationals’ lineup each of the last eight games. During which time he’s started in each of the three outfield positions. And held five different spots in the batting order.

Yep, Thomas batted fourth and started in right field Aug. 14 against the Padres. He batted eighth and started in center field Aug. 15 against the Cubs (shifting to right field in the ninth inning). He batted fifth and started in left field Aug. 16 against the Cubs (shifting to center field in the eighth inning). He batted first and started in center field Aug. 17 against the Cubs. He batted eighth and started in center field Aug. 18 against the Padres (shifting to right field in the ninth inning). He batted first and started in right field Aug. 19 against the Padres. He batted seventh and started in right field Aug. 20 against the Padres. And he batted fifth and started in right field Aug. 21 against the Padres (shifting to center field in the ninth inning).

And that’s just Thomas’ itinerary from the last eight days. Look back at the whole season, and you’ll see he’s batted in all nine spots for manager Davey Martinez at least once.

“We actually looked it up in the cage the other day: I’ve literally hit everywhere in the lineup this year,” he said. “I didn’t start a game hitting third, but I came in for (Yadiel Hernandez). But I’ve hit in every single spot in the lineup.”

Sure enough, only three weeks ago Thomas did replace Hernandez (who was batting third) late for defense during the Nationals’ Aug. 2 win over the Mets. He even singled in his one and only at-bat that night.

Over the course of the season, Thomas has started 87 of the Nats’ 123 games, but he hasn’t started more than 22 games out of any single position in the lineup. He’s led off more than anything else, but he’s also batted seventh 18 times, sixth 15 times, eighth 10 times, second nine times, ninth eight times, fifth four times and cleanup once.

That opportunity to bat cleanup came only nine days ago, during a Sunday matinee against the Padres, who were starting left-hander Blake Snell, with Nelson Cruz and Luis Garcia sidelined by injuries and Keibert Ruiz getting the day off. It’s the only time Thomas has started a major league game as his team’s No. 4 hitter.

“I don’t even know if I’d ever hit cleanup before that,” he said. “Shoot, maybe in Triple-A a few times. That was wild. I just wonder how they come up with that stuff, if it’s Davey or it’s analytics or what. I know I usually hit high in the lineup versus lefties. I wasn’t like: ‘Whoa, this is crazy.’ I just figured maybe I played well off this guy or whatever.”

In this particular case, Thomas’ placement in the lineup had more to do with all the others who weren’t in the lineup that day. But on a day-to-day basis, he’s correct in thinking it has to do with numbers, matchups and sometimes just Martinez’s gut feeling.

“We look at all these different numbers, and where to put him,” Martinez said. “Sometimes we think he might be able to drive in some runs for us hitting in the middle of the lineup. Sometimes we want to push guys up to the top. So, it varies day-to-day based on who he’s facing.”

Thomas’ constant moving around says a little bit about him and a lot about the rest of the Nationals lineup. If they had more consistent everyday producers, he probably would find himself settling into one (or maybe two) regular spots in the order. But because Martinez has needed to scramble so much this season – especially since Juan Soto and Josh Bell were traded three weeks ago – he finds himself writing out different looks almost every day.

It does take a certain type of player to be able to move around as much as Thomas does, though. In many ways, this has been a disappointing season: After an eye-opening two months following his acquisition last summer from the Cardinals, he’s currently batting only .237/.285/.400 over 379 plate appearances.

But Thomas has had his moments. He actually ranks third on the team with 12 homers (and the two guys ahead of him on the list, Soto and Bell, no longer play for them). He has the speed to bat leadoff when it makes sense. He has the power to bat in the middle of the order when that makes sense. And when he’s got enough other talent around him, he’s a good bottom-of-the-order guy.

The key to it all, he insists, is not thinking he needs to change his approach based on where he’s batting in the lineup on any given day.

“For sure, I think that’s the hardest part: Thinking you have to do more in this spot than that spot,” he said. “I feel like the situation will dictate how you’re supposed to approach that certain at-bat. I guess that’s something I’m still trying to figure out.”

Martinez tries to put in simple terms. He knows what Thomas’ strength as a hitter is. The manager just wants him to focus on that, no matter where he’s penciled into the lineup.

“What we always reiterate with him is that he’s a good fastball hitter,” Martinez said. “He’s got to stay on the fastball. It doesn’t matter whether he hits leadoff, second, third, fourth, whatever. If he gets a fastball and thinks it’s in the zone, we want him to swing at it.”

Where will Thomas bat in the lineup for tonight’s series opener against the Mariners? Left-hander Robbie Ray is starting for Seattle, so Thomas figures to be somewhere in the top half of the order. Ray throws his fastball nearly 60 percent of the time, so that should play well into Thomas’ strengths.

And, hey, it’s Thomas’ 27th birthday. Maybe Martinez will bat him third as a present and ensure his most versatile player has started a game in all nine spots in the lineup this season.

Note: The Nationals announced Monday they optioned backup catcher Tres Barrera to Triple-A Rochester. No corresponding move was announced, but it stands to reason Riley Adams will be joining the team before tonight’s game because the team needs somebody to back up Ruiz.

Barrera took over for Adams as the Nats’ No. 2 catcher in early July but didn’t have much success in the role. In 14 games, he batted .182/.229/.212 with one double and four RBIs. He also struggled again to stop the running game, throwing out only 1-of-12 opposing base stealers after throwing out only 1-of-20 last season.

Adams hit .192/.284/.321 with three homers and five RBIs in 27 games during the season’s first three months before his demotion to Triple-A. He threw out 4-of-20 base stealers.