The Washington Nationals brought back first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and pitchers Sean Doolittle, Austin Voth and Jeremy Hellickson from their rehab assignments and activated them from the injured list Sunday as MLB rosters expanded for September.
Doolittle went on the IL Aug. 18 with right knee tendinitis, one day after blowing a save in a loss to Milwaukee. Before being injured, he had racked up 28 saves, third-most in the National League.
Doolittle asked manager Dave Martinez to use him in lower-leverage situations as he works his way back to 100%, and Martinez was on board.
“I told him, ’In order for us to be super effective, we need you to be that guy again, but we’ll get there,’” Martinez said. “’But let’s just take baby steps. You’re doing good, you’re healthy. Just got to go ahead and build you back up.’”
Martinez said Doolittle would be available for the Nationals’ game Sunday against the Miami Marlins.
Zimmerman — who missed 36 games with another bout of plantar fasciitis in his right foot and has not played for Washington since July 21 — apparently “reintroduced” himself to Martinez Sunday, and Martinez and some players joked that the 34-year-old vet was a September call-up.
“Zim’s a consummate professional. He gets it,” Martinez said. “I told him, ’You’re going to play against some lefties. You’re gonna come off the bench.’ His defense is still really good … He understands that we have other guys that are having an unbelievable year, and he gets it. He just wants to be part of it, and I want him to be part of it.”
Hellickson was on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, while the other three were on the 10-day injured list. He and Voth each spent time in Washington’s No. 5 starter role earlier in the year, to varying results, but Martinez said both of them will serve as “long men” out of the bullpen for now.
MLB rosters expand from 25 players to 40 at the start of September each year, so the Nationals did not have to send any players down to the minors to return Doolittle, Zimmerman, Voth and Hellickson. Washington also called up catcher Raudy Read, infielder Adrian Sanchez and outfielder Andrew Stevenson to join the major league roster.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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