Scherzer's chances of facing Braves dwindling (Nats win 11-4)

Max Scherzer's chances of missing another start against the Braves appear to be growing, leaving the Nationals again facing the prospect of a critical series with the National League East leaders without the services of their ace.

Scherzer, still dealing with a lingering upper back injury that has limited him to one start in the last three weeks, has not yet thrown a ball since receiving a stem cell injection Friday for what he described as a "mild strain" of the rhomboid muscle on top of his right shoulder blade.

The right-hander's next turn in the Nationals' rotation comes Tuesday night. Unless he's somehow cleared and able to throw off a bullpen mound the day before a start - he typically does it three days before a start - he won't be available to start the middle game of this week's series with the Braves.

That would be the second time Scherzer has been unable to face Atlanta in the last two weeks, hindering the Nationals' hopes of catching the division leaders, who enter the day 6 1/2 games up.

The Nats are listing Tuesday's starter as "TBA," with Patrick Corbin set to start Monday's opener and Aníbal Sánchez on the mound for Wednesday afternoon's finale. Davey Martinez wouldn't rule out Scherzer this morning, but the manager didn't exactly sound optimistic, either.

"We're talking about Max," Martinez said. "Who knows what he's thinking or what he's going to do? If he goes and works out and says: 'I don't feel a thing,' ... I don't want to jump to any conclusions until I talk to Max."

If Scherzer can't go, the Nationals almost certainly would need to recall Erick Fedde from Double-A Harrisburg to start Tuesday. That transaction, however, would only be permissible if Fedde is replacing a teammate who goes on the injured list, because he would not have spent the minimum 10 days in the minors following his demotion Wednesday.

After revealing the rhomboid strain and stem cell injection to treat it Friday, Scherzer said he hoped to resume throwing in two days. It does not appear that happened, though. The 35-year-old briefly walked through the clubhouse at Nationals Park this morning, but he wasn't seen on the field prior to the series finale against the Dodgers.

"He's got a cardio day today," Martinez said. "He's going to stretch and then we'll go from there. We'll see how he feels after."

Asked how Scherzer is feeling right now, Martinez answered with a lack of enthusiasm.

"He's been on and off," the manager said. "Knowing Max, he's a little frustrated right now. A little ornery. But hopefully, this is something we can take care of sooner than later."

Scherzer did suggest Friday he could conceivably throw a light bullpen session the day before he starts. But that would have to take place Monday. Suffice it to say, time's running out for that to happen. And the Nationals almost certainly wouldn't let him start a game without having first thrown off a bullpen mound to test himself out.

"I don't like doing that, no," Martinez said. "It would be tough. We've got to put eyes on him. I hope he understands that."

Reading between the lines, the Nationals seem to be of the mindset right now that Scherzer needs more time off, that it's more important he be at full strength for the season's final two months than he face the Braves right now.

"At this point, and I told him this, I want to make sure that he's 100 percent," Martinez said. "We need Max to be 100 percent to get us through the next few months. He's got to prove to us that he is that. Last time out, he was very adamant that he was good to go. His bullpen was awesome. And then all of a sudden, he woke up after his start and didn't feel so good. Hopefully, this will be a short stint and we get him back."

Update: Three innings in the books, and neither team has scored. But that doesn't mean there hasn't been action. Adam Eaton and Davey Martinez were both ejected in the bottom of the first after Eaton argued with plate umpire Jeremie Rehak on a (pretty clearly high) strike two call. It's Martinez's first ejection since May 23, the day the Nats were swept in New York. After which they began their current 36-18 run. Stephen Strasburg has been perfect through three innings, striking out five and looking very sharp. The Nats had a chance to score in the bottom of the second when Brian Dozier ripped a two-out double to deep left field. But Bob Henley waved Matt Adams (who had been hit by a pitch in the right foot moments earlier and limped down to first base) around third and watched the big guy get thrown out easily by the Dodgers to end that inning. So it's scoreless through three.

Update II: The perfect game is over. So is Strasburg's shutout. With one out in the fifth, A.J. Pollock ripped a line drive over Anthony Rendon's head. And when Juan Soto couldn't handle it cleanly in the left field corner, Pollock was safe at second with a single and an error on Soto. And three batters later, he scored when Matt Beaty lined a double just inside the right field line, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the fifth.

Update III: That deficit didn't last long. The Nats bounced right back in the bottom of the fifth. In a big way. After Gerardo Parra beat out a little dribbler to third, Dozier connected for the second time today vs. Walker Buehler, this time sending a two-run homer to right-center. It's his first opposite-field homer of the season, and it gave the Nationals a 2-1 lead. A minute later, that became a 3-1 lead thanks to a Victor Robles triple and a Rendon single through the open right side of the infield. The only bad news: Adams had to come out of the game, and Howie Kendrick is now at first base.

Update IV: The Nats kept the pressure on Buehler in the bottom of the sixth, and they wound up scoring four more runs in the process. They got three hits (all to the opposite field) and two walks, plus a throwing error on Joc Pederson, who fielded a grounder with the bases loaded and one out and fired low to the plate, letting two runs score. The inning also included another big hit by Strasburg. He's now 5 for his last 8 with a homer and six RBIs. After all this, the Nats lead 7-1 heading to the seventh.

Update V: Trea Turner and Robles scored when Rendon stroked an opposite-field single in the eighth. Juan Soto followed Rendon and homered to left-center to give the Nats a double-digit lead, and now it's 11-1 heading into the ninth.

Final update: Michael Blazek walked the first two batters in the ninth. Two outs later, Corey Seager took him deep. The next batter, Will Smith, singled. But Blazek induced a fly ball from Matt Beaty, and the Nats salvaged the series finale with an 11-4 win.