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An ineffective and inefficient Max Scherzer was out after just four innings in the series opener with the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
Washington’s bullpen picked their starter up, however, with Matt Belisle, Sammy Solis, Blake Treinen, Shawn Kelley and Mark Melancon combining to throw five scoreless in what ended up a 5-4 win.
Nats’ skipper Dusty Baker, as quoted by MASN’s Byron Kerr, talked before the second of three with the Rockies in Coors Field last night about how he’d use his relievers should he have to turn to the bullpen again.
“Do you go for all or nothing tonight and then worry about tomorrow?,” Baker asked rhetorically. “It depends. I think it depends on where you are in the standings. It depends on the state of your team’s health. If we were one game behind or one game up, you’d have a totally different idea and I probably wouldn’t be resting guys like I do right now either. But we want to pad this [lead]. We haven’t won anything yet.
“You try to talk to the guys, try to see how the state of the guys are mentally and physically, and then you make your assessment or judgment from that.”
“Baker also said how far Gio Gonzalez can go tonight will decide everything,” Kerr noted.
Yusmeiro Petit and Oliver Perez, the only two relievers not used in the series opener, were pressed into action on Tuesday night when a two-hour, five-minute rain delay ended Gonzalez’s outing after just three innings.
Treinen too threw 1 ⅔ innings, in what ended up a 6-2 loss, leaving the Nationals and their manager in a difficult position.
Washington Post writer Chelsea Janes reported this morning that a source said the Nats will call for reinforcements:
“The team plans to call up right-handed reliever Koda Glover, who rocketed through the minor leagues in a year and a half and made his major league debut this season, according to people familiar with the situation.”
As for a corresponding move?
The WaPost reporter noted that Baker said Solis was “very sore” after his work on Monday night, though Baker would not elaborate.
Glover, 23, and a 2015 8th Round pick, worked his way up through the Nationals’ system over the last two seasons, pitching at High-A, Double and Triple-A this year before making his MLB debut earlier this season.
In seven appearances since he returned to the Nats’ top minor league affiliate, the Syracuse Chiefs, Glover gave up eight hits and three earned runs in 10 ⅔ IP.
No word from the Nationals thus far on any move to bring Glover, though it should come relatively soon if it does with this afternoon’s series finale scheduled for 3:10 PM EDT in Coors Field.