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Washington Nationals’ skipper Davey Martinez talked before the finale of the three-game set in Oriole Park at Camden Yards about Brian Goodwin’s progress as the 27-year-old outfielder rehabbed from wrist tendon soreness which landed him on the Disabled List on April 15th.
“He hit a home run yesterday, which was nice, so he feels good and he’s anxious to get back,” Martinez said. “I think he’s going to play another game or two and then we’ll see where we’ll go from there.”
Goodwin went 3 for 15 with the home run, three walks, and three Ks in the four rehab games he played with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators before he was reinstated from the DL, with Andrew Stevenson optioned to make room on the major league roster this afternoon.
Martinez was asked then if Goodwin returning might allow him an opportunity to sit Michael A. Taylor for once.
Taylor, 27, has appeared in all 55 games so far, starting in 51. Martinez said he’d considered the possibility of 19-year-old rookie Juan Soto playing some center as well.
Nationals drop series opener to Braves, drop 0.5-game back in NL East:
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“We thought about it,” he explained, “... and like I said, once we get Adam [Eaton] back, and [Goodwin] back, there will be some decisions to be made, but Goody can play some center field just as good as anybody.”
He apparently decided that Goodwin would spell Taylor tonight in Atlanta, because he put the returning outfielder out there, playing center and batting sixth in the second game of four in SunTrust Park.
Before he injured the wrist diving in the outfield, Goodwin was 6 for 24 (.250/.387/.375) with a homer, five walks, and 11 Ks in 32 PAs, coming off a .251/.313/.498, 21 double, 13 home run, 0.5 fWAR campaign in 2017, which was something of a breakout for the 2011 1st Round pick.
Stevenson, 24, has played in 25 games this season, with a .255/.315/.298 line, two doubles, four walks, and 12 Ks in 55 PAs before he was optioned to the Nationals’ top affiliate today.