He would not get the chance to, as an inflamed shoulder discovered during warm-ups made him a late scratch. Miguel Batista was named the emergency starter. And, as it surprisingly turned out, the Nationals didn’t lose anything with the switch.
The 39-year-old, 15-year veteran has been a starter for most of his career but has pitched in relief of late. He struggled with the Seattle Mariners as a starter, particularly in 2008, but pitched fairly well as a member of the team’s bullpen the following year. His play that season clearly showed the Nationals he still had something left in the tank.
He signed a minor league deal in January with an invite to Spring Training and joined the Nationals' relief corps to begin the season. He struggled in his first appearance with the team, allowing three hits, four walks, and five runs in 1 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.
His play improved, as he allowed just five runs total in the month of May, then continued his effectiveness in June to become a reputable steady hand. He returned to his early season woes to begin this month, but his start against the Braves should certainly boost his confidence.
He didn’t possess Strasburg’s 100 mile-per-hour fastball, his loopy curve, or his deadly slider, but his repertoire made his outing Strasburgesque. He threw a scoreless first despite plunking Braves' young star Jason Heyward.
Batista was quickly rewarded with some early production from his offense as leadoff hitter Nyjer Morgan singled against Tommy Hanson, stole second, watched Brian McCann’s throw sail into right field as he stole third, and swiftly sprinted home. Washington had their first run and their second-place hitter, Cristian Guzman, was still at bat.
It turned out that was the only run Batista and the relief corps would need, but after a quiet top-half of the second, Washington’s offense tallied a few insurance runs just in case. Three straight reached to begin the frame, and the third, young shortstop Ian Desmond, drove in the first two with a single to center.
Batista flourished with this 3-0 lead, striking out two in both the third and fourth innings, then worked out of a small jam in the fifth, his final inning of work. On short notice, making his first start since 2008, he gave Washington everything they could have asked for, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out six in a game the bullpen finished off with four scoreless innings of their own.
Considering how careful the Nationals will be with Strasburg, who is already near the very popular inning limit teams depressingly put on young pitchers, Batista could be more than just the emergency starter he was against the Braves. Despite the impact Strasburg can have on a game, if Batista keeps pitching like he did, Washington won’t miss much.
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