Is Nationals’ catcher Wilson Ramos tiring? Dusty Baker doesn’t think so...

Over his last 17 games, Washington Nationals’ catcher Wilson Ramos was 18 for 68 (.265/.297/.471), with two doubles, four home runs and 13 runs batted, taking him from a .327/.379/.526 line on July 31st to a .316/.365/.517 line entering play in the third game of four with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.

On the Nationals’ recently-completed road trip, the 29-year-old catcher went just 5 for 34 (.147/.216/.265) with a double and a home run, prompting reporters to ask skipper Dusty Baker if he saw signs that the veteran backstop was tiring?

“No,” Baker said. “It’s hard to hit all year. You can say the same about [Daniel] Murphy too.

“You name me someone who doesn’t have a down period and I’ll name you Ted Williams, George Brett and Rod Carew.”

Baker said that he would, of course, as always, be watching for signs that his catcher was tired, but Ramos is going to continue to play and rest as he has all season.

“If fatigue is setting in, I mean, I’ll probably give him a break this weekend like I always do,” Baker explained.

“I mean, I’ve given him one out of every five days off or whatever it is, four days off, so I can’t give him too much more of a break than that, again, if you’re trying to win, so I don’t know.

“I just talked to him in my office, he doesn’t look tired to me, but his bat has slowed down a little bit. But that’s a tough position.”

Ramos went 0 for 5 with two Ks in the Nationals’ third straight loss to the Orioles, leaving him with a .247/.278/.438 line this month and a .312/.360/.510 line on the season after 430 plate appearances.