J.D. Martin to have surgery

J.D. Martin, whom the Nationals placed on the 60-day disabled list this week, will have season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair the herniated discs in his back that have been nagging him all season. Martin will need to rehab for about two months, meaning he will be 100 percent ready for next spring training.

"The way I'm looking at it, I'm taking care of something that's been bothering me for a long time," Martin said. "It's just a little clean up. Some things are floating around in there."

Martin has felt back pain for four seasons now, he said, and it finally became untenable this season. It first flared in late April, when Martin missed a start at Class AAA Syracuse. He still pitched well enough to join Washington's rotation when injuries cleared a spot. He went 1-5 with a 4.13 ERA in nine starts.

In his final start, at the end of May, Martin's back seized up while throwing a pitch in the first inning in Milwaukee against the Brewers. The Nationals placed him on the disabled list that night, and his back never responded to allow him to pitch.