Martinez: Rainouts have players anxious to get back to work

The first game of the Nationals' series with the Dodgers on Friday was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader today, beginning at 2:05 p.m. The second game is scheduled for 8:05 p.m.

Tanner Roark will face Ross Stripling in the opener. Max Scherzer opposes Rich Hill in the nightcap. Both games will be broadcast on MASN.

With Friday's postponement, the Nationals have not played baseball since Tuesday when the game against the Yankees was stopped in the middle of the sixth inning. The Nationals have now not finished a complete game since Sunday night's 6-4 win at Arizona.

That means if and when the opening game of the doubleheader is completed Saturday, the Nats will have gone six days without getting a result from a full nine-inning game.

The biggest plus for manager Davey Martinez is his bullpen will be fully rested. Only Wander Suero was used in Tuesday's game against the Yankees.

"One day off is nice - our bullpen can use it - but now it's getting a little bit to where we want to play but the weather is not cooperating, so that's out of our hands," said Martinez.

The skipper said the day off Thursday was nice. But these postponements are now having an effect on his players.

"They are itching to play," he said. "They want to play, but we can't do anything about the weather."

As for the batters, Martinez said pitch machines can help in the in-stadium cages.

"Nowadays? Right now, they're hitting off a machine that's throwing like 98 miles an hour," Martinez said.

"The rest was good, but they just want to be on the field and competing. That's the biggest thing, just not competing. You can hit all day long, but they want to face pitchers and they want to compete."

Martinez was asked if this gap between games reminded him of what happens to a playoff team between the regular season and the first game of postseason play?

"Oh, you know what? I'll take that gap," Martinez laughed.