Nationals center fielder Victor Robles He was at camp on Saturday, according to several reporters (including Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington and Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). Robles worked yesterday and will face live pitches for the first time this afternoon.
The 23-year-old had been isolating himself after coming into contact with a teammate affected by the coronavirus a few weeks ago. It is unclear if he ever contracted the virus himself, but evidently he has now removed all the protocols necessary for a return.
The former main prospect is a vital piece of the Nats’ title defense attempt. He completed his first extended major league action run in 2019. Robles was simply helpful at the plate (.255 / .326 / .419 with 17 home runs in 617 plate appearances), but he was dynamic in all other respects. He passed 28 bases and qualified as a clear plus overall on base paths. More importantly, Robles immediately stepped forward as one of the sport’s most dynamic defenders. His 23 defensive runs saved led all center fielders, while Statcast credited him 14 outs above average. That more than lived up to the high projections of the explorers on his glove.
It remains to be seen if the delay will bypass Robles earlier in the regular season. As manager Dave Martinez recognized Zuckerman, he’s certainly way behind on live replays. No doubt the club will be cautious not to try too hard on the precious young man. However, Martinez left open the possibility that Robles could be on the active list from the start. Michael A. Taylor I’d like to see the biggest pickup in playing time if Robles’ work is limited from the start.
