Scherzer on paternity list, won't miss a turn

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals placed All-Star Max Scherzer on the paternity list prior to Wednesday night’s 3-1 victory over the Marlins at Nationals Park. Scherzer is allowed to spend up to three days away from the team while he and his wife, Erica, are expecting the birth of their second child.

Scherzer is expected to make his next scheduled start on Saturday night against the Royals at Nationals Park, and he threw a bullpen session early Wednesday afternoon to stick to his routine before being placed on the paternity list.

The impending birth of his second child comes as Scherzer is in the midst of one of the best grooves of his career. He was named the National League’s Pitcher of the Month for June on Wednesday, after authoring one of the best months on the mound in the past two decades -- 6-0 and a 1.00 ERA with 68 strikeouts and five walks in six starts.

By going on the paternity list now, Scherzer won’t miss any time, and he still intends to pitch in the 2019 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday in Cleveland. The move also gives the Nats an extra bench player in the meantime. Infielder Adrían Sanchez was promoted from Double-A Harrisburg to take Scherzer’s spot on the roster.

• All-Star Game presented by Mastercard: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX

Sanchez puts an extra infielder and backup shortstop on Washington's bench for the first time in weeks, although Nats manager Dave Martinez was not sure if he would use Sanchez to give a break to shortstop Trea Turner or third baseman Anthony Rendon, neither of whom have had a day off since returning from the injured list.

Soto willing to be patient for All-Star Game

It’s easy to make a case for Juan Soto as one of the biggest “snubs” from the National League All-Star team this season. His sophomore season had a bit of a slow start, but now looks eerily similar to his historic rookie season.

Entering Wednesdays’ game, Soto had raised his slash line to .301/.406/.554 with 15 home runs and a 146 Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+). Not a bad first half for a 20-year-old playing in his first full season in the big leagues. And yet Soto did not receive a bid for the All-Star Game, making him one of the players with a real gripe over being left out, even with the increased size of the rosters in recent years.

But Soto took no issues with not being selected. He acknowledged that one day he would like to be chosen for the team, but he is willing to be patient, especially this early in his career.

“I have a teammate that for six, seven years [was] doing really well and this is the first time he made it,” Soto said, alluding to Rendon. “That’s how you see it’s tough. You got to keep working, keep getting better, maybe one day they’re going to see you work.

“I’m not thinking too much about that, because if I make it, it’s gonna be really good because it's going to be a really nice experience. But If I don’t make it, I’m not going to be sad.”

Worth noting

• Ryan Zimmerman’s return from the injured list has created a bit of a logjam on the right side of the Nats' infield, but Martinez has clarified one point about the battle at first base -- Zimmerman is the starter. Matt Adams, who is starting at first on Wednesday night, and Howie Kendrick will continue to get plenty of playing time, according to Martinez, but he sees Zimmerman as the primary first baseman.

Zimmerman, 34, has been limited to just 25 games this season after spending about two months on the IL with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He is batting .209/.296/.349 and has been stuck on 999 career RBIs since April.

• Nats reliever Kyle Barraclough (right radial nerve irritation) and Justin Miller (right rotator cuff strain) are at the team’s facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., to continue rehabbing their injuries. They could both begin Minor League rehab assignments next week, although Barraclough is ahead of Miller in his progress.