Back to the Top News Newsfeed

Nationals clear Trea Turner's path to the majors by demoting struggling Michael Taylor

X

WATCH & READ

MLB Roundup (7/3)

2:25

Loading

BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006BESbswyue000ue001ue002ue003ue004ue005ue006

The Nationals raised eyebrows on Monday morning, demoting outfielder Michael Taylor in order to activate closer Jonathan Papelbon from the disabled list.

Taylor had started in center field in 41 of the Nationals' 83 games, including Sunday's and in six of their last seven against left-handed pitchers. Though his overall results left a lot to be desired -- in addition to one of the worst strikeout-to-walk rates in baseball, he'd recently endured a nightmare game against the Dodgers -- he'd actually enjoyed a respectable June, hitting .