WASHINGTON -- All along, Michael Conforto said a May 1 return date from shoulder surgery seemed "a little late" to him. If it took until May 1 for Conforto to complete the requisite physical therapy, rehab and baseball activities, so be it, but a part of him never strayed from the desire to return sooner.
As it turns out, Conforto beat his timetable by almost a month. The outfielder returned from the disabled list before Thursday's series opener against Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals, with utilityman Phillip Evans heading to Triple-A Las Vegas to clear roster space.