Washington Nationals’ lineup for 1st of 3 with the Baltimore Orioles in OPACY...

Victor Robles went 3 for 6 over the first two games with the New York Mets this week in Citi Field, and he was 0 for 1 in the third of four before he was hit by a pitch (for the third time in the series) on the hand on Wednesday night.

Robles, 23, left the game a few innings later, when, as his manager, Davey Martinez, said in his post game press conference, the hand continued to bother him.

“It got stiff on him,” Martinez said.

“Had X-rays, he’s negative. So he’s going to be day-to-day, we’ll see how he feels tomorrow, but he got hit pretty good, he got hit right on a knuckle.”

Though he was available, if needed in the series finale yesterday, Martinez started Michael A. Taylor in center field.

“It took me a little while to get here because I was waiting to evaluate Victor,” the manager said in his pregame press conference. “He’s okay. I’m just being very cautious. Michael is going to play today. We’ll give [Robles] a day. We got all these games coming up, so just give him a day today, he’ll be available hopefully later in the game. But he’s doing fine.”

Through 14 games this season, Robles, who missed time in Spring Training 2.0 after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, is 11 for 43 (.256/.333/.349).

He’s hit a double and a home run and he’s taken two walks, but he’s also struck out in 14 of 48 plate appearances early in the 2020 campaign.

Martinez said his outfielder is working hard to get up to speed at the plate, and the skipper said earlier this week, they need production from Robles at the plate.

“He’s changing some stuff with his swing,” Martinez explained. “But you know just putting the ball in play for him is huge. We tell him all the time just move the baseball, man, use your legs.”

“We got to get him going. He’s a big part of our offense. We need his defense out there, but we’ve got to get him going.”

Robles is back in there tonight. Oh, and infield prospect Luis Garcia just got called up and he’s starting at second. How’s that for burying the lede.

Here’s the Nationals’ lineup: