The Nationals had a conundrum on their hands with the struggles of long reliever Chien-Ming Wang and the imminent return of reliever Henry Rodriguez.
Rodriguez, who has made three minor-league rehab appearances after slamming a bathroom door on his right index finger on May 28, needed to throw in front of pitching coach Steve McCatty on Tuesday. But the Nats liked what they saw and he was added to the active roster.
Meanwhile, Wang went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hip. That move is retroactive to July 1. Johnson had fretted for days about his original fifth starter. A hamstring injury in spring training knocked Wang out for weeks. He returned May 25, but eventually proved ineffective and was removed from the rotation last month after just five starts. Wang’s numbers are bad: 2-3 with a 7.61 ERA and a 2.15 walks-hits/innings pitcher. He allowed four earned runs in his last relief appearance on June 30 at Atlanta.
[Wang’s] trainer here, she was with us last four or five days on the trip,” Johnson said. “She was working with him and she thinks that he’s some kind of out of whack because he’s not able to get into a position that he needs to be to get on top. And so she’s been putting him through exercises and stuff to try and get his mechanics better. But that’s a work-in-progress.”
One that will continue on the disabled list and likely in several rehab appearances later this month. It’s been a rough season for Wang, though he’s seen worse in recent years. Johnson didn’t seem all that enamored with Wang’s trainer, but said she’s likely on to something relating to Wang’s mechanical troubles.
“She’s not a doctor, but she thinks there’s something in his hip that it’s not enabling him to get in this position [higher arm slot]. It’s causing him to get into this position [lower arm slot],” Johnson said. “I’ve had some experience in Japan when I first got there I was hitting .190 and they thought my muscles weren’t lined up properly and sent me to somebody who used everything but the bamboo shoots under my fingernails. And when I came out of there I knew my muscles weren’t lined up. They twisted me every which way. I did feel better – when the soreness went away.”
Rodriguez hasn’t pitched for the Nats since June 5. In his last four games he allowed an earned run each time and his control left much to be desired with four hits allowed, including a home run, two walks and a wild pitch in 3 1/3 innings. But he pitched three scoreless innings at Double-A Harrisburg on June 27, 28 and July 1 with a walk and four strikeouts. It was time for him to make his return – though in what role, exactly, it’s uncertain.
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