His arrival brought life to a tense and battered clubhouse.

Nationals second baseman Emilio Bonifacio wasn’t solely responsible for his new club winning six of his first seven games. But there is no question his presence provided an immediate boost.

Acquired on July 22 for closer Jon Rauch, Bonifacio was installed as the Nats’ starting second baseman Aug. 1 — a spot club officials believe the 23-year-old can hold for a long time. Bonifacio now has the rest of the season to prove his first week wasn’t a fluke.

“[When the trade was made] I said I thought he’d be our solution at second base and be our solution at [the] leadoff [position] down the road,” said Nats general manager Jim Bowden. “That’s a pretty bold statement to make on a young kid who’s never done anything in the big leagues.”

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The first week was promising. Bonifacio had 12 hits in his first 32 at-bats with the Nats, including three triples, and his electric speed was as advertised.

“This guy is an impact guy. This is a guy you can’t miss him when you come to the ballpark,” Nats manager Manny Acta said. “Here and there he’s going to do some things that people are going to wonder if he’s ... [playing] too fast. But his speed just causes chaos.”

But the realities of big-league baseball smacked Bonifacio over the weekend in Milwaukee, where he faced two of the game’s best pitchers in CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets. Fed a steady diet of breaking balls and high-and-away fastballs, Bonifacio was 0-for-15 with four strikeouts in the series before being given the day off Monday (he later pinch-hit and reached on an error).

While an excellent defensive second baseman, Bonifacio has limited power and what charitably could be called an evolving definition of the strike zone.

If he does develop into a legitimate top-of-the-order threat that part of his game must improve. Bonifacio has struck out 16 times in 58 major-league at-bats in 2008 and has yet to draw a walk.

“The bat is going to take a little longer to come — like some of our other young players,” Bowden said.

Bonifacio, who was playing outfield in Arizona because of a logjam at second base, is one of five position players age 24 or under expected to start next season for the Nats. For now, the front office is content to watch the major league’s youngest roster learn on the job.

“I wanted to play. That’s why I was happy to [be traded],” Bonifacio said. “Arizona gave me the opportunity in the outfield so I take it. But I feel really good that I’m here now.”