ANAHEIM, Calif. – Andrew Chafin is facing live hitters again and could be ready to come off the injured list during the Nationals’ upcoming homestand.
Chafin, out since June 8 with a strained right hamstring, threw a simulated game Friday at Angel Stadium and emerged feeling good about himself after the 30-pitch session.
There is a caveat, of course, given the nature of the left-hander’s injury.
“As you know, there’s nothing wrong with his arm,” manager Davey Martinez said. “It was his hamstring. So, he threw the ball well.”
The more important test for Chafin will come as he attempts to simulate running plays off the mound.
“The thing is going to be the running: Covering bases, fielding bunts,” Martinez said. “He did a little bit of it. We’ll do some more come Sunday, then we’ll do some more Tuesday.”
Chafin is scheduled to face hitters again Sunday before the Nats’ series finale against the Angels. The team returns home after that, and he’s likely to throw another simulated game Tuesday, at which point the club will have a decision to make.
Will the 35-year-old need to go on a minor league rehab assignment and pitch in actual competitive games before coming off the 10-day IL? Or could he jump right back into the bullpen after the simulated games?
“You know what? If everything goes well on Tuesday, we’ll see where he’s at,” Martinez said. “I don’t know if he necessarily needs to go out on a rehab. I think he’ll be in good shape to go out there and pitch. He threw 30 pitches, which is a lot. But he wanted to feel like he got something out of it. We’ll see how it goes for him on Tuesday.”
The Nationals have missed the presence of Chafin, who in 16 games after his midseason signing posted a 3.18 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings. Jose A. Ferrer has been their only healthy left-handed reliever the last three weeks, and he has pitched in nine of the team’s last 17 games, giving up runs in four of them.
* Keibert Ruiz was set to run today for the first time since suffering a concussion Monday night in San Diego. The Nats’ No. 1 catcher said the headaches he experienced in the first few days after getting struck on the right side of his head by a foul ball into the dugout have gone away, and he’s feeling better overall.
Ruiz initially was placed on the 10-day IL with a head contusion, but when his headaches lingered, he was re-examined by a specialist and diagnosed with a concussion. He was then transferred to the 7-day concussion IL, which makes him eligible to return Tuesday against the Tigers if he clears all medical tests.