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Two games into the 2018 campaign, Adam Eaton (who went 5 for 5 on Saturday) is 6 for 8 with two doubles, a home run, and five runs scored.
Getting off to a start like that is all the 29-year-old outfielder could ask for a year after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in his 23rd game with the Washington Nationals last April.
New Nats’ skipper Davey Martinez said after Saturday’s 13-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds that he’s going to talk to his outfielder every day and monitor Eaton closely as he returns from the injury, surgery, and rehab.
“I’m going to have a conversation with him every day, because, like I said, the biggest thing is to keep him going for the whole season,” Martinez explained.
“Right now he feels really, really good, so we’re going to see where he’s at again here in a little bit and see what we’ve got. But he’s doing great, like I said, he’s the guy that gets us going and had a great day today.”
Martinez substituted Eaton out late in each of the first two games.
Would he start him for a third straight game out of the gate?
Before yesterday’s matchup, Martinez talked to reporters about the decision-making when it comes to his left fielder.
“We got him out of the game early [on Friday], which was nice,” the skipper said, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman.
“I talked to him after the game, he said he felt great. I asked him if he could play today and he said: ‘Absolutely.’ So he’s in. But he knows we’re going to have to give him some days off.
“We’ll see where it goes and how far it goes. He loves to play, and right now he’s doing really well.”
Eaton’s back in there again today for a third straight game.
Also, the Nationals’ starter, Gio Gonzalez, is batting eighth.
HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP FOR THE FINALE WITH THE REDS:
Let's make it 3-0. pic.twitter.com/kJY3tbI4tg
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 1, 2018