Washington Nationals option Jake Noll to make room for Howie Kendrick to return

Washington Nationals’ rookie Jake Noll took the third consecutive walk Philadelphia Phillies’ reliever David Robertson gave up after Anthony Rendon singled to start the ninth inning of Wednesday afternoon’s matchup in the nation’s capital.

Noll had to work for it though, spitting on a low 2-2 slider before Robertson missed inside with a full-count cutter and forced in the winning run in what ended up a 9-8 game on the walk-off walk.

Noll talked to MASN’s Alex Chappell on the field following the win about what he saw in the at bat.

“I was going up there trying to see a pitch up,” Noll said, “laid off the ones down, and then that last one was inside, and just trying to have a good at bat.”

He also talked about the experience of his first Gatorade bath. “Cold. Really cold,” Noll said.

It was a nice way for the infielder, who made the Nationals’ Opening Day roster after tearing things up in Grapefruit League Action, to go out, with his first big league RBI, and a walk-off one at that.

After the game, Noll was optioned to Triple-A Fresno to make room on the roster for Howie Kendrick’s return from the Injured List. Kendrick injured his hamstring in a March 5th game in Florida, but he told reporters in the nation’s capital on Wednesday that he was ready to rejoin the club.

“I’m healthy now,” Kendrick said, “like I can play, I just can’t come off the [Injured List] yet.

“I believe maybe Thursday I think it was, so I’m excited to be back, and like I said, have an opportunity to help the guys out and play some baseball.”

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Kendrick returns two days after the Nationals lost Trea Turner to a non-displaced break in his right index finger, which he injured when it was hit by a pitch as he tried to get a bunt down on Tuesday night.

GM Mike Rizzo told 106.7 the FAN in D.C.’s Sports Junkies that Turner could be out for a while, though they don’t know how long it will be.

“It’s a clean break,” Rizzo explained.

“It’s not displaced, which means there is no surgery involved, no pin has to be inserted and that type of thing. When the bone is healed, it’s healed, everybody’s bones heal differently.”

Kendrick said he was happy that he could come back and contribute after such a big loss.

He was added to the roster this morning, in advance of the series opener with the Mets in Citi Field.