Kendrick feasts at plate; Nats shut out Braves

WASHINGTON -- There’s a part of Howie Kendrick that acknowledges he feels fortunate enough to be even playing in the big leagues this season. He imagines just how difficult it might have been this offseason -- coming off a ruptured right Achilles tendon and set to turn 36 years old in July -- had he not already been under contract with the Nationals.

“I don’t know if I would have been in the Major Leagues this year,” Kendrick said after Sunday’s 7-0 victory against the Braves. “Because a lot of times the way the league is now … you don't see too many veteran guys around anymore.”

• Box score

The Nationals are certainly glad to have Kendrick, who continues to be one of their most productive hitters despite part-time at-bats. After a pair of punchless offensive performances the past two games against the Braves, Kendrick was inserted into the starting lineup for Sunday afternoon’s series finale and helped wake up this Nats lineup. He collected three hits, including his 15th homer of the season, and drove in three runs to help Washington avoid a three-game sweep from Atlanta.

It’s the sort of performance that has become common for Kendrick. After days of not playing, or seeing limited at-bats in pinch-hitting roles, he steps right in and continues to rake without missing a step. In his past five starts, he is batting 10-for-19 (.526) with three multihit games, four RBIs and four runs scored.

“The fact that he’s a bench player and comes off the bench and is able to keep his timing, his at-bats are just so impressive,” center fielder Victor Robles said through an interpreter. “It’s amazing. He’s just a tremendous ballplayer.”

The win helped the Nationals keep pace in a tightening National League Wild Card race that saw all top three teams win on Sunday. Washington still owns a 1 1/2-game lead over Chicago for the top slot, with a 2 1/2-game advantage over the rest of the field. Should the Nationals hang on to that advantage and advance to the NL Wild Card Game, it might be difficult to leave Kendrick’s bat out of the lineup.

It has been a quandary all season for Washington, trying to balance the workload of one of their most consistent and productive hitters, putting together the best offensive season of his career. Kendrick finished the day hitting .336/.386/.559 with a 139 wRC+ in 337 plate appearances this season, on pace to finish with career best numbers in wRC+, OPS and slugging percentage.

That kind of production makes it tempting to write Kendrick’s name in the lineup every day, but at 36 years old, he acknowledges he is beyond that point in his career.

“I'm not an everyday guy anymore,” Kendrick said. “I know that, and [manager Dave Martinez] knows that. I'm not going to complain one bit about the way I’ve been used. When I play, I play. When I don't, I’m ready to play and go in the game.”

And Kendrick has found ways to adjust to coming off the bench. He, along with assistant hitting coach Joe Dillon, has developed a few drills to help him prepare to help him simulate velocity, using a pitching machine and some front toss drills before Kendrick goes to hit. As a pinch-hitter this season, Kendrick is batting .382/.421/.647 with two homers in 34 at-bats.

The right side of the infield has become increasingly crowded for the Nationals, with Asdrúbal Cabrera and Brian Dozier splitting time at second base and Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Adams jockeying for at-bats at first. And they also have Kendrick lurking in the mix, good enough to start or they could leave him on the bench as a looming threat for a high-leverage at-bat.

“It’s always an advantage, versatility is,” bench coach Chip Hale, who took over as acting manager for an ill Martinez, said. “You look at the teams that are really pushing right now and making it, they can put numerous people in numerous positions. We have guys like that, and it’s really huge for you, as a manager, as a coach, you know when someone goes down you can make a double-switch, you’re not missing anything.”