SEATTLE – Aside from one game at Triple-A right after last summer’s trade, Riley Adams had spent his entire time in the Nationals organization in the majors, finishing out the final two months of the 2021 season in D.C. and then spending the first three months of this season here. So when he was summoned into manager Davey Martinez’s office July 1 and informed he was being demoted to Rochester, the 26-year-old catcher was somewhat taken aback.

Adams, though, decided to try to make the most of a bad situation. In the major leagues, he was starting one or two games a week as Keibert Ruiz’s backup. In the minors, he would start four times a week as the Red Wings’ No. 1 catcher.

“You never want to get sent down. It’s not the best feeling,” he said. “But I saw it as an opportunity to go down there and get at-bats and get as many reps as possible. I tried to take advantage as much as I could. I’m just happy to be back now.”

Adams was back in the Nationals’ clubhouse Tuesday, called back up prior to their series opener against the Mariners, with Tres Barrera optioned to Rochester in a swap of catchers.

Playing time will be more limited now, but manager Davey Martinez did throw Adams right into the lineup Tuesday, with left-hander Robbie Ray on the mound for Seattle and Erick Fedde (who had just made a rehab start for Rochester) making his first start off the injured list. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts but did help guide Fedde through five strong innings in his return to the mound.

For the most part, the Nationals bullpen has been a bright spot early this season. Not to take anything away from their accomplishments, but this group of relievers quite frankly had nowhere to go but up.

Washington’s bullpen posted a 5.10 ERA last year, worst in the National League and second-worst in the majors.

So far this year, the Nats ‘pen has a 3.61 ERA that was eighth in the NL and 17th in the majors at the conclusion of Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Marlins. A big improvement.

At the forefront, or should I say the back end, of this bullpen are Kyle Finnegan and Tanner Rainey, two relievers the Nationals really need to have bounceback seasons in 2022.

With a banged-up bullpen that has Sean Doolittle (elbow sprain), Hunter Harvey (pronator strain), Mason Thompson (biceps tendinitis) and Will Harris (pectoral surgery) on the injured list, manager Davey Martinez has relied on Finnegan and Rainey to get important outs this season.

PITTSBURGH – Victor Robles is the Nationals’ starting center fielder. And he’ll continue to be their starting center fielder. As long the matchups on a particular day work in his favor.

For the third time in eight games to begin the season, the matchup isn’t in Robles’ favor. Pirates starter J.T. Brubaker has a particularly tough slider, so Davey Martinez decided to leave Robles on the bench tonight and instead play Dee Strange-Gordon in center field.

“We look at all his data, and we know Victor struggles against guys with good sliders,” Martinez said. “So tonight I felt like we’re just going to continue to work with him on his swing, get him some extra swings, and then get him back in there tomorrow. We’re looking at all this stuff.”

Robles, who has started five games so far, remains hitless in 15 at-bats. His only two productive plate appearances resulted in a sacrifice bunt and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch that resulted in his lone RBI of the season.

Hitting coach Darnell Coles has been working with Robles on mechanical changes to his swing since late in spring training. Coles wants him starting his hands in a better position to allow for quicker movement to the ball. It remains a work in progress, as the results to date show.

ATLANTA – There are more than 5 1/2 months of baseball left to be played in 2022, and there’s still every reason to believe when this season is complete the Braves will be right there among the National League’s best while the rebuilding Nationals are looking up at a number of other clubs.

One series in mid-April does not change the outlook of either team’s chances this year. That doesn’t, however, mean the Nats can’t leave town this evening and fly to Pittsburgh feeling awfully good about themselves for what they just accomplished.

Shaking off a blowout loss Tuesday night, they bounced right back and won today’s finale 3-1, capturing the three-game series against the defending World Series champions and in the process establishing the formula for success they’ll try to mimic as much as possible over these next 5 1/2 months.

“I feel like it’s a confidence boost, right?” reliever Steve Cishek said. “You got a young team, and you take out the defending champs? I mean, their lineup is incredible. We threw the ball really well the first game and today. That’s a huge confidence boost for the young guys.”

The Nationals got a strong outing today from one of their young starters, with Josiah Gray tossing five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit. They got some early offense from an opportunistic lineup that jumped on Braves ace Max Fried. And then Davey Martinez handed over the final four innings to his four best relievers: Kyle Finnegan, Sean Doolittle, Cishek and Tanner Rainey.

ATLANTA – Less than an hour before today’s scheduled first pitch at Truist Park, Nelson Cruz was in shallow left field, stretching, exercising and testing out his tight groin with Nationals executive director of medical services Harvey Sharman. He didn’t know yet if he’d be playing this afternoon or not after sitting out Tuesday night’s game.

Then Cruz walked back to the visitors’ dugout, headed down to the batting tunnel underneath the stands, and some 15 minutes later the Nats put out their lineup. With Cruz batting third and serving as designated hitter.

“He came in, got treatment, said he felt better,” manager Davey Martinez said earlier in his office. “I want to get him in the cage, let him hit, see where we’re at. We haven’t posted a lineup yet because we’re waiting on him.”

Cruz wasn’t able to play Tuesday, telling Martinez before the game he “couldn’t get loose.” The manager immediately told the 41-year-old to get some treatment and see if he could feel well enough to pinch-hit later in the game. Once the Nationals were trailing by double-digits, there was no reason to take a chance, so Cruz never appeared.

He’s back in there today, though, for the sixth time in seven games to begin the season. And in the short time he’s been with the club, he’s established a trusting rapport with his skipper.

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