The Nationals' 5-3 exhibition win Monday night over the Yankees featured a special moment for right-handed reliever Aaron Barrett, who came in to pitch at Nationals Park for the first time since 2015.
It was a long road back for Barrett, who suffered not one, but two major injuries before returning to baseball. In 2016, while rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery, Barrett suffered a fractured elbow.
But he continued to rehab, continued to strengthen and rebuild his arm. Year after year.
The now 31-year-old pitched in 20 games last season for short-season Single-A Auburn. Barrett spent spring training back with the Nationals and then Monday pitched one inning of relief at Nats Park for the first time since August of 2015.
Aaron "The Bear" Barrett 2/3 of an inning, 1 hit, no runs, no walks, one strikeout, one wild pitch. His first appearance in a game at #Nats Park since August 5, 2015 vs. ARZ.
-- Byron Kerr (@masnKerr) March 25, 2019
Barrett replaced starter AnÃbal Sánchez in Monday's exhibition win over the Yankees. When Barrett ran in from the bullpen in the sixth inning, Sánchez waited for him to make it to the mound. Sánchez wanted to be the player who symbolically handed the ball to Barrett for the first time in a game back in Nats Park.
"For AnÃbal to stand there and give me the ball, it was just class," Barrett said. "First class all the way around for him to wait for me on the mound and give me the ball. It was a cool moment. It was something that I will remember and just being able to be back and be back on the mound for the first time in almost four years. It was a cool moment. So that was very, very special for him."
Manager Davey Martinez saw that Sánchez wanted to stay on the mound after being replaced so he could give the ball to Barrett.
"Yeah, it was awesome," Martinez said. "He came in and it's hard for me to really look at him without busting a tear out for him. AnÃbal wanted to stay there as well and give him the ball when he came in. I thought that was pretty awesome.
"But I'm glad. Aaron is going to help us at some point (during) the year. He started spring training throwing 89-90 mph. His velo is up to 92, touches 93 mph. He looks really good. Now it's just continuing to build him up. Build his innings up and somewhere along the line we'll see Aaron again for sure."
Sánchez said it was important for him to hand the ball to Barrett for the first time at Nats Park in almost four years.
"I think for me it's bringing some kind of confidence to (him)," Sánchez said.
Barrett allowed a double, but then recorded a strikeout and a fly out to end the threat. The Yankees had to settle for one run. He admitted to some butterflies when he got to the hill.
"Oh, yeah. Heart was definitely beating quite a bit but it's part of it," Barrett said. "That's fine, you just kind of have to embrace it. Enjoy the moment. But it was a lot of fun."
Barrett recognized how important the moment was for his teammates, too. A lot of them weren't here in 2015, but they saw how hard he worked in spring training and had heard the story of his arduous and lonely comeback.
"I think they appreciate it," Barrett said. "I think obviously you don't know exactly the work I put in unless you are there first hand. I think all these guys have supported me throughout this whole process. It's a family. They've been behind me the whole time. The Nationals continue to give me the opportunity to get back and I'm super grateful and blessed for that."
Barrett has returned to Florida to continue to build innings. He will likely get a rehab assignment at an affiliate with the hopes of returning to the Nats sometime this season.