Rendon potentially back in rehab game in Bowie tomorrow, Janssen's plan set

FLUSHING, N.Y. - If all goes well, infielder Anthony Rendon will resume his minor league rehab stint with Double-A Harrisburg when the Senators travel to Bowie to play the Baysox this weekend. Rendon played in games last Friday and Saturday and then, after a scheduled day off Sunday, he became a late scratch Monday when he had trouble loosening up his injured left knee in Harrisburg's cold weather. Since then, it's been a new issue - tightness in his left side - that has kept him off the field.

Rendon was able to go through a full workout today that included taking grounders and hitting in the cage.

Nationals manager Matt Williams laid out Rendon's revised plan before tonight's game against the Mets.

"He had a little bit of a hiccup there so we have to see where he's at," Williams said. "But he needs at-bats and he's gotta play. If he starts with five innings tomorrow then we'll progress him from there. It will be a normal type rehab, so I don't know, four or five games, maybe. And then depending on how he feels and if everything is OK, we'll see him back here."

Rendon was 2-for-4 with a double in the two games he appeared in last weekend. He played five innings at third base in the first game and seven innings at second base the following day. The first two games in Bowie are scheduled to start at 6:35 p.m. while Sunday's first pitch is at 2:05 p.m.

Williams said right-hander Casey Janssen threw 16 pitches in an extended spring game in Viera, Fla. today. It was the first game-type situation for Janssen since he pitched one inning against the Yankees in a Grapefruit League game on March 23. That's when he began experiencing tendinitis in his throwing shoulder.

"He'll go again down there on Monday and then he'll meet us in D.C. for a couple of days of work and then go out to (Single-A ) Potomac after that," Williams said.

The Nats could use Janssen, the former Blue Jays closer, to help with the backend of their bullpen.