Martinez has one more tool to work with

SAN DIEGO -- For nearly two months, the Nationals did not have a lefty reliever on their Major League roster.

Not since April 29, when Anthony Banda faced three batters, did manager Dave Martinez make a call to the bullpen for a southpaw.

Entering Friday, Nationals relievers had a 4.38 ERA and .692 opponents’ OPS vs. right-handed hitters compared with a 5.26 ERA and .839 OPS vs. left-handed hitters.

That stretch without a southpaw ended Friday night when left-hander Joe La Sorsa made his Nationals debut in the sixth inning of the Nats’ 13-3 loss to the Padres at Petco Park.

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“That was nice,” Martinez said of calling on a lefty. “It was good, and he did well. He was a little amped up, a little excited. But we knew that about him -- he’s got a lot of energy. He did well. He threw strikes, which was awesome. He’s got a good slider, a good sinker. The fact that he works really fast and then threw strikes for us was awesome.”

The plan was for La Sorsa to face just three batters (including a pair of left-handers in the bottom of the Padres order) so his arm can stay fresh. After beginning his appearance with an automatic ball on a pitch clock violation, La Sorsa got left-handed batter Jake Cronenworth to fly out to right field on his second pitch thrown. La Sorsa recorded his second out when right-hander Nelson Cruz grounded out to first base. The final batter La Sorsa faced, lefty Trent Grisham, hit a line single to right field.

“He’s our only lefty, so we need him,” Martinez said. “If we need him tomorrow, he’ll come in tomorrow again and the next day. Good thing is, I talked to him and he said that he could throw every day. So we’ll find out.”

The Nats began the season with Banda as the only left-handed reliever on their Opening Day roster. He was designated for assignment on April 30. After La Sorsa was DFA’d by Tampa on June 3, the Nationals claimed him off waivers five days later. He was called up from Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday after right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. was placed on the 15-day injured list because of right shoulder inflammation.

“It’s matchups and also, too, all of a sudden, we have a lefty in the bullpen and they can’t stack their lefties up back to back to back,” said Martinez. “It makes the opposing manager’s decision a little bit harder on what to do, so that’s kind of nice. It’s nice to have him down there. Like I said, he’s going to be utilized quite a bit, but he was good today.”

For La Sorsa, this opportunity with the Nationals is the latest stop in a well-traveled first half of the season. He was a non-roster invitee in the Rays’ camp, played in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy during Spring Training, began the season with Triple-A Durham, got called up to the Rays on May 28 for his Major League debut, and was designated for assignment following two relief appearances (2.08 ERA).

The 25-year-old works with a pitch mix of sinkers, sliders and changeups. Because he’s “not a pitcher that’s going to be blowing 95 past someone,” he describes himself as crafty with his strike throwing. In the small sample size on Friday, he located nine of his 12 pitches for strikes.

La Sorsa said he already feels comfortable with the Nationals.

“It’s not like anything’s ever going to be handed to me,” La Sorsa said. “You’ve still got to perform. It’s just a matter of if I do my job, I think I’m going to have a little more of an opportunity to really express myself here and really develop.

“I think this organization is going to give me a good opportunity, and I’d really like nothing more than to hold up my end of the bargain -- go out there, throw strikes and compete for them.”