Martinez explains final wild card roster decisions

When it came time to make their final roster decisions for tonight's National League wild card game, the Nationals decided to prioritize speed. As in the speed of pitches and the speed of baserunners.

In choosing to keep Tanner Rainey and Hunter Strickland in their bullpen over the likes of Wander Suero, Austin Voth and Javy Guerra, the Nats went with a couple of hard-throwing right-handers who get hitters out with velocity. And in choosing to keep both Michael A. Taylor and Andrew Stevenson on their bench, the Nats ensured they've got multiple pinch-running options for late in the game.

The bullpen choices were perhaps the most surprising, with Suero (who led the club with 78 appearances this season) left off the roster while Rainey and Strickland were kept on the small, nine-man pitching staff for tonight's winner-take-all game. As manager Davey Martinez explained, the addition of Patrick Corbin to the bullpen along with Sean Doolittle makes Suero's availability less important against the Brewers' left-handed bats.

"I think we're covered with Doo and Corbin, who's going to be in the bullpen, against left-handed hitters," Martinez said.

Rainey, who finished the season with eight consecutive scoreless appearances that included 13 strikeouts and only two walks, earned Martinez's trust for tight situations. And Strickland, who was less effective down the stretch but has 11 games of postseason experience, made the cut as well.

Even though the Nationals are prepared to use Corbin and Stephen Strasburg out of the bullpen tonight, Martinez said he has to be careful about the situations he would summon a starter to pitch in an unusual role. Hence, the presence of regular relievers like Rainey, Strickland and Fernando Rodney.

"I don't want to bring a starter in, in the middle of an inning," Martinez said. "These guys have relieved before. When we get into the game with guys on base, I want those guys in the game. So having Rainey. Having Rodney, who's done it. Like I said, Rainey's been really good the last 12 games or so. Rodney's done it. He's been a closer. Strickland's done it. He's been a closer. Hudson, Doo: Those guys might be available early on, too, for a big moment. Having those guys who have done it before, have experience pitching in the postseason, I like that."

With only nine pitchers on the roster, the Nationals had three extra spots available on the bench. Two of those went to a pair of speedy outfielders: Taylor and Stevenson. They'll be available to pinch-run, with Matt Adams, Ryan Zimmerman, Gerardo Parra and Brian Dozier the top pinch-hitting options.

"You look at our lineup, there's really not a whole lot of guys to pinch-hit for," Martinez said. "We've got two lefties in the lineup that don't really struggle against lefties. You've got another switch-hitter. You've got right-handed hitters that don't really struggle against right-handed pitching. ... That's what I like about our roster construction. We've got a couple guys that can pinch-run. And also we have a couple guys, big bats, that can pinch-hit in the pitcher's spot."

The last spot on the bench went to Raudy Read, giving the Nationals third catcher as insurance for Kurt Suzuki, whose sore elbow has healed enough to allow him to start tonight but remains at least a mild concern for the team.

"I wanted to keep an extra catcher," Martinez said. "I know Suzuki's good, but if something had to happen and we had to get (Yan) Gomes in the game, having an extra catcher helps a lot."