Washington Nationals’ September call-ups start: Enny Romero, Ryan Madson off DL; Erick Fedde, Austin Adams, and Raudy Read up...

There weren’t supposed to be any big surprises coming with Washington’s September call-ups, though we were holding out hope the Nationals would give Wander Suero (1.85 ERA, 17 walks, 65 Ks, 20 saves in 63 ¹⁄₃ IP between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse) a look this month. There was one relatively surprising move today, however.

Based on what Nationals’ skipper Dusty Baker told reporters on Thursday afternoon in Milwaukee, however, it appeared most of the players joining the major league team as rosters expand would be familiar faces.

“A lot of the guys that would’ve been September call-ups have already been here, in July and August and now September,” Baker said yesterday, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman.

“We’ve got a few guys slated to come back. I think almost all the guys that are slated to come back have been here.”

He said “almost”... c’mon, Suero!

First up, two relievers Enny Romero (who’s been rehabbing a forearm strain at Triple-A) and Austin Adams, who had a fairly disastrous debut with the Nationals earlier this season but has put up solid numbers at Triple-A Syracuse, were reinstated from the DL and called back up, respectively.

Romero, 26, put up a 3.99 ERA, a 4.10 FIP, 20 walks (3.80) and 57 Ks (10.84 K/9) over 45 games and 47 ¹⁄₃ innings before he was placed on the DL with a left forearm strain in the first week of August.

“He’s been pitching so hopefully he can come back and we can learn something,” Baker said of Romero, as quoted by Washington Post writer Jorge Castillo on Thursday.

In 6 ¹⁄₃ innings with the Nationals’ top minor league affiliate, Romero walked one, struck out eight, and gave up five runs, three earned.

Adams, 26, has posted a 2.14 ERA, a 2.79 FIP, 37 walks (5.64 BB/9) and 91 Ks (13.88 K/9) in 59 IP at Triple-A this season, though the right-hander, acquired from the LA Angels in the Danny Espinosa trade in December 2016, blew up in his debut with the Nats, failing to retire any of the five batters he faced in a mid-July appearance in Cincinnati.

Ryan Madson (placed on the DL with a sprained right finger last month) also rejoins the Nats this weekend as well, which will provide a significant boost to the bullpen.

Madson, who turned 37 four days back, threw nine scoreless innings after the deal with the Oakland A’s that brought him to the Nationals before the non-waiver deadline.

Erick Fedde’s back up as well after having made three starts for the Nationals already this season.

The one somewhat surprising move this afternoon was the Nationals’ decision to bring up 23-year-old catcher Raudy Read, who has put up a .265/.312/.455 line, 25 doubles and 17 home runs in 108 games and 442 plate appearances this season at Double-A Harrisburg.

The reinforcements will join the Nats tonight for the second of four with the Brewers in Milwaukee’s Miller Park.