Notes: Gray on return to NY; Clay in Triple-A

NEW YORK -- As Josiah Gray pursued his baseball dreams growing up in New Rochelle, N.Y., the Mets were playing 15 miles south in Queens. Even though Gray rooted for the Yankees in the Bronx, there was significance to the 23-year-old right-hander taking his first trip to Citi Field as a Major League pitcher this week.

“This is as close as it will get, other than Yankee Stadium,” Gray said.

After making his big league debut on July 20 as a member of the Dodgers, Gray returned to the East Coast when he was acquired by the Nationals at the Trade Deadline. A new division means more trips to his home state, where he also played baseball at Le Moyne College in Syracuse.

“It’s been awesome,” Gray said of being back in New York. “I’m really excited to be here, see some people I haven’t seen in a while, obviously watch some good baseball, learn what the Mets do and kind of just adapt that way. It’s been fun.”

Since Gray started on Saturday in Atlanta, this trip to Citi Field was more observing than pitching. This time, he had a much better view than he ever did attending games as a fan.

“To say the least, yes,” Gray said.

Clay’s Triple-A to-dos
Southpaw Sam Clay joined right-handers Tanner Rainey and Wander Suero on Wednesday as big league relievers optioned to Triple-A Rochester to get back on track. His ERA has jumped from 5.04 in 30 1/3 innings before the All-Star break to 10.13 across 5 1/3 frames since then.

“I talked to him about just attacking the strike zone,” manager Dave Martinez said. “The walks with Sam were the big issue … We need him to get outs -- especially against left-handed hitters.”

Clay had been the only southpaw in the Nationals bullpen following the trade of Brad Hand to the Blue Jays at the Deadline. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is 0.80 against right-handers, compared to 2.83 versus lefties. The 28-year-old rookie, though, is holding left-handers to a .261 batting average (.338 vs. righties).

“I told him, for his first stint in the big leagues, he did fine -- he really did -- and he's going to be another guy where we believe that he can help us in the future,” Martinez said.

The Nationals are planning for Clay to pitch every-other day with Rochester, similar to the plan they mapped out for Rainey, who was called up as the 27th man for Thursday’s doubleheader.

“You haven't seen the last of Sam, I know that,” Martinez said. “He'll work to get back up here, and we'll get him back up here as soon as we deem he's ready."

In the meantime, Washington selected the contract of Sean Nolin from the Red Wings to add a left-hander who can stretch multiple innings. He got the start in Game 1 on Thursday. Nolin, 31, is 3-3 with a 3.80 ERA over 11 appearances (nine starts) this season in Triple-A.