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Miguel Cairo had already assembled his lineup for today’s series finale against the Brewers before learning Jacob Misiorowski was going on the 15-day injured list with a bruised left shin, forcing a change of pitching plans by Milwaukee.
Cairo’s response: No changes to his Nationals lineup. He already had a lefty-heavy group ready to go against Misiorowski, and he felt that same look would work just as well against replacement Logan Henderson.
That lineup had James Wood serving as designated hitter all along, and it also had Nathaniel Lowe on the bench, giving Josh Bell a rare opportunity to play first base.
“I want to give Wood a little break from the outfield and DH him,” Cairo explained. “J.B., it’s been a while since he played first. I want to give him some action at first base, too.”
This is among the dilemmas now confronting Cairo and the Nationals over the season’s final two months. Bell wasn’t among the veterans on expiring contracts dealt at Thursday’s trade deadline. He remains on the roster. And even though there are a number of younger players seeking major league experience, Bell (who has a robust .852 OPS over his last 49 games) is still going to get regular playing time.
“He’s been one of our good hitters, and he’s going to be playing,” Cairo said. “He’s going to be DHing. I’m going to mix it up with giving some time to Woody as DH. Against lefties, I’m going to put someone else to be DH, a right-handed hitter. I’m going to mix it up the best I can. I’m going to try to put the best matchup against any pitcher they would put in there.”
With Lowe sitting and Wood serving as DH today, Cairo still found a way to field an outfield of Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and Robert Hassell III. But the only way to play all three of those young guys is to sit someone else. And the challenge will get even tougher when Dylan Crews returns from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester sometime in the next week or so.
* The Nationals are listing Wednesday’s starter as TBA and will wait to make that formal announcement.
The trade of Michael Soroka to the Cubs for two prospects left the club without a fifth starter. With a day off Monday, the Nats could have kept the existing four starters on regular rest and delayed the decision until next weekend in San Francisco, but it appears they’ll go ahead and name a new fifth starter for the second game of their series against the Athletics.
Shinnosuke Ogasawara was promoted from Triple-A Rochester on Friday to take Soroka’s roster spot, but the Japanese left-hander has been available in the bullpen since and on Saturday threw 60 pitches over three-plus innings in relief of starter Jake Irvin.
“It was nice to see someone come in from the bullpen and attack the hitters, throw strikes, keep the ball down,” Cairo said. “He got a few ground balls, double plays. It was a big help, to have someone you can count on that you can bring in for two innings and hold the other team’s offense.”
If Ogasawara was going to start Wednesday, he would be doing so on only three days’ rest. Might the Nationals instead choose to finally promote 2020 first-round pick Cade Cavalli for that start, even though the right-hander has struggled recently at Rochester?
“I don’t know,” Cairo said. “We’ll see when we get there.”
* The Nationals claimed left-hander PJ Poulin off waivers from the Tigers just prior to the start of today's game, using one of their four open 40-man slots to add the 29-year-old reliever.
Poulin, who was designated for assignment Thursday when Detroit needed to clear spots to account for their deadline acquisitions (including former Nats closer Kyle Finnegan), had strong numbers at Triple-A Toledo, going 7-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings.
The Nationals didn't announce where Poulin will be assigned, suggesting there's a chance he's added to the major league roster before Tuesday's game against the A's.
