Nationals reinstate Ryan Zimmerman from Paternity List; option Trea Turner to Triple-A

Trea Turner knew he was only up for the weekend, or until Ryan Zimmerman returned from the Paternity List, but he told reporters on Friday night that he was determined to do what he could to contribute while he was on the major league roster.

"They told me I'll be here while Zimmerman's gone," Turner said.

"My job is to help the team any way I can whether it's off the bench or starting, second baseman, shortstop, wherever it may be whether it's late in the game or starting and I'm just going to try to continue the roll that we're on and enjoy it."

"It’s just a weekend thing," Baker confirmed when he spoke to reporters before the series opener in Cincinnati, as quoted by MASNSports.com's Byron Kerr.

"Unless Zim has another baby in the meantime. It’s a weekend thing. He was our best choice to do a number of things to help us. He’s going to play today, [Daniel Murphy is] playing first base today and then tomorrow we’re going Big [Clint] Robinson the next couple days."

Turner went 3 for 3 with a walk in his 2016 debut, and he came on as a pinch runner on Saturday, but that was it for the 22-year-old infielder's second major league stint.

This morning the Nationals reinstated Ryan Zimmerman from the Paternity List and optioned Turner back to Triple-A Syracuse, where he has a .310/.376/.472 line, 13 doubles, five triples, three home runs and 17 stolen bases in 17 attempts through 50 games and 222 plate appearances.

While he was up, on Friday, Turner talked about the work he's done to improve his approach at the plate.

"I think I've grown approach-wise," he said.

"I'm starting to lay off pitches that I think I've swung at last year and even at the beginning this year and I think I've done a better job plate discipline-wise and that's helping me square the ball up more and I think I'm having better at bats because of that."

He's also worked to become more of a leader and "field general" as the Nationals suggested when they optioned him to the minor leagues toward the end of Spring Training.

"I think I've grown there as well. I'm not a talkative guy on the field. I think I've grown -- I guess -- [in] approach to the overall game. Noticing when guys are struggling if they need to be talked to or just have a conversation with them, or tell them a joke. Whatever it may be. I'm not going to be a rah-rah guy, but any way I can help out my teammates I've tried to do while I was down there and I think that's help me grow a little bit this year too."

For now he'll have to continue to do his work with the Nationals' top minor league affiliate. When will he get the call again? We'll see...

The Nationals reinstated 1B Ryan Zimmerman from the Paternity List on Monday and optioned infielder Trea Turner to Triple-A Syracuse.

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 6, 2016