Sipp exits with shoulder stiffness vs. Phils

PHILADELPHIA -- Tony Sipp departed Wednesday's 15-1 victory after facing only one batter due to a "little stiffness" in his right shoulder, according to manager Dave Martinez.

Sipp, who entered with a 14-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, lobbied to remain in the game, but said he was ultimately removed as a "precaution" given the score at the time.

The left-hander retired Odubel Herrera on four pitches before Martinez and head athletic trainer Paul Lessard trotted to the mound. Martinez thought he noticed something when Sipp threw a slider on his second pitch.

“I just didn’t like it," Martinez said. "Pauly and I went out there, and we said, ‘Hey, you’re good. You warmed up in the bullpen, you came out and got a hitter out, I think you’re good.’ He gets a day off tomorrow. We’ll see what happens Friday.”

As for Sipp, he admitted his shoulder was a "little sore," but called it "typical soreness" that a lot of pitchers feel this time of year.

The veteran reliever has been busy this season, appearing in seven of the Nationals' 11 games, though usually just to face a couple batters. He pitched an inning in his season debut, but has recorded no more than one out in his six appearances since.

“Nothing out of the ordinary that I hadn’t felt before or hadn’t pitched through," Sipp said of the stiffness. "But I think with the situation, they wanted to be more on the safe side.

"I think I’ll be fine after the off-day."