Martinez on Zimmerman, Doolittle, Strasburg and the Cubs

Nationals manager Davey Martinez said first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is getting a rest day and his absence from the lineup is not because of the slide in last night's game against the Cardinals, a 7-6 setback.

"Zim's fine, just getting a day," Martinez said during pregame. "Like I said, we talk a lot and we felt he needed a day today. So, he will be available later."

The slide occurred in the seventh frame Wednesday night when the Nats rallied for four runs to get back in the game.

Zimmerman had just belted a three-run double. Wilmer Difo followed with a single. Zimmerman slid in safely but appeared to get up slowly. Martinez saw the slide live and was worried. Zimmerman has hurt his oblique, shoulder and thumb running the bases over the years.

"I got a little nervous, yeah," Martinez said today. "But he's OK. He's been playing well. Just want to keep him going."

Zimmerman said post-game last night that he didn't feel that great after the slide and tag at home plate.

"Not bad, not great, but not bad," Zimmerman said. "That's the only way to slide and be safe. If I slide feet first, I'm probably not safe. But it's not too bad."

Closer Sean Doolittle is very close to returning from a toe injury that has kept him on the shelf since July 6. Martinez had the most promising update of the day, saying Doolittle could face the Cubs in this series.

"He's good, yeah, I really believe he might return this weekend," Doolittle said. "He's going to go out to throw today a little bit and we'll see how he feels."

Martinez spent the last few seasons as the bench coach with the Cubs. He vividly remembers facing Stephen Strasburg in the playoffs. Strasburg faces off against right-hander Kyle Hendricks in a rematch of game one of the 2017 National League Division Series.

"Yeah, they are two totally different pitchers but being on the other side watching Stras I thought, 'oh boy, this is going to be a long day'", Martinez said. "Today I expect Stras to go out there today and just compete. He's been pitching really well. I really like the way he's been pitching because he doesn't feel like has to overpower anybody, he's actually pitching and being smart about it. So, I really love what he's doing right now."

While with the Cubs as a coach from 2015 to 2017, he was a part of some pretty successful teams. Even when they weren't in the postseason, they still were a good team. Does Martinez think the way the Cubs kept playing consistent baseball all these years serve as an example of how he would like the Nationals team to play?

"You hit it on the nose: consistency," Martinez said. "That's what they've done and they put the pieces together and they were consistent every year. That's what we need to get better at. We're young. We need to get better at being consistent. We show signs of being really good because I think we are going to be really good. I really do. We just got to be consistent every day."