No MRI result yet on Eaton; notes on Bautista, Taylor, Harper

Nationals manager Dusty Baker did not have a complete medical update during his pregame press conference on the extent of the injury suffered by center fielder Adam Eaton at the end of last night's 7-5 loss to the Mets.

"Nothing yet. Had to be driven home, naturally, last night," Baker said. "We're waiting from the MRI because it's not that easy, not that many people working on Saturdays. Hopefully, it's not as serious as it looks."

The injury was listed as a left knee strain. Does that mean Eaton's ankle isn't as bad as first thought?

"I don't know. It could be one or both," Baker said. "So we will find out when we get the MRI."

The club called up center fielder Rafael Bautista from Triple-A Syracuse and placed Eaton on the 10-day disabled list. The 24-year-old Bautista played very well in 23 games for the Nationals during spring training.

"In spring training, I know he can hit that fastball, No. 1," Baker said. "He's aggressive as a hitter. We had numerous discussions on how to hit the breaking ball, which most young hitters have trouble with. He told me he's been working on it."

Baker got specific as to why Bautista has played so well in his young career and why he has solid potential.

"He's an outstanding outfielder. Runs exceptionally well," Baker said. "Has a good throwing arm and pays attention. That's what I liked.

"The most about him is that he pays attention. He has bright eyes and a good face which I've learned from (former Michigan coach and Hall of Famer) Bo Schembechler that's very, very important to see how attentive a person really is. I think he'll be a quick learner. I'm glad we played him as much as we have so that he can see that he's not intimidated by being around big leaguers or the big leagues."

Bautista met the media at his locker, with a big smile on his face. He is situated next to his good friend, Wilmer Difo.

"Feeling great. Awesome time," Bautista said. "First time. They told me I can go up. Feels so great, man."

Bautista said he found out from Triple-A manager Billy Gardner Jr. after Syracuse's 7-4 loss in Norfolk on Friday night.

"Last night, my manager in Triple-A," Bautista said. "He called me into the office and told me, 'You going up.' Kind of shocked. Yeah, it's weird."

Bautista has hit .291 for Syracuse after hitting .316 in spring training. He detailed, through interpreter Octavio Martinez, what has been working for him early on this season.

"The biggest thing that I've been able to take advantage of is making adjustments between pitches in my at-bats while listening to the coaches and the coaching staff," Martinez said. "Spring training, I did that a lot and it helped me a lot to the start of my season. I'm grateful to be here, be given the opportunity to hopefully keep doing that and just being patient and taking advantage of the pitch selection."

Michael A. Taylor gets another shot to move into a more prominent center field role. He will bat second today against the Mets. But he has struggled out of the gates, batting .095 (2-for-21) with nine strikeouts in 13 games.

"I felt like my timing has been off a little bit," Taylor said. "I've been tracking pitches in the bullpen, things like that, trying to get it going. When you don't get at-bats, you still have to find a way to be on time and get your swing right."

Taylor said he has implemented this strategy for quite some time because it better simulates in-game situations.

"I started that in the minor leagues," Taylor said. "It's something I've done more this year than year's in the past. It's important to see live pitching. In BP, it's coming in like at 50 mph. It's something I think helps."

I asked about his pinch-hit in Denver on Thursday when he smacked a clean single through the hole into left field. Could that help in regaining some confidence?

"Yeah, now I turn the corner," Taylor said, tongue-in-cheek. "That was the hit that gets everything going."

So will Baker platoon Taylor and Bautista?

"See ... who plays the best," Baker said. "Probably Michael gets one more opportunity or two, but you got to realize that it could take a while to get your timing, get everything together, because you're not playing plus we face some pretty good pitchers here."

Is Baker at the end of his rope with Taylor?

"I'm going to give him a few days and then we'll make an assessment, but this is an opportunity (for) Michael," Baker said. "I told him this morning he's been very blessed to keep getting opportunities, but you got to capitalize on them because this is a lifetime opportunity for him. He's abritration-eligible, he's trying to get an everyday job back. So just take every at-bat and just play ball that's the main thing, just play."

Baker has seen Taylor be successful before. He knows what he is capable of in the big leagues.

"You've seen him when he came up that half a year, so you know it's there," Baker said. "We've talked and talked and (National hitting coach Rick) Schu and (Nationals assistant hitting coach) Jacque (Jones) have talked.

"You can't hit for him, you got to hit for yourself because when you're in that box, you're in that box all by yourself."

* Maybe the best exchange of the pregame session with Baker came when Nationals radio play-by-play announcer Charlie Slowes asked him about possibly moving Bryce Harper to center field with Eaton out the lineup.

Baker: "No man. you leave Bryce alone and fill in the blanks elsewhere. I don't know where you come up with that one, Charlie."

Slowes: "It was asked to me."

Baker: "Well, you tell them they're crazy."

Slowes: "They asked me if Trea (Turner) would go to center, too."

Baker: "You tell them, leave my team alone."