WOODBRIDGE, Va. -- Before Friday, the last time Nationals reliever Erik Davis pitched in a real game was Sept. 22, 2013, when he tossed a scoreless inning against the Marlins to complete a promising season that included a 10-game debut in Washington.
The next spring, Davis' hopes of making the big league club crumbled as he suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in April. A little more than a year later, the right-hander took a significant step in the recovery process, beginning a rehab assignment with a hitless inning for Class A Advanced Potomac on Friday night against Frederick.