Stephen Strasburg set for rehab start; Joe Ross' second start opens doors for Nats

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg is set for a rehab assignment Wednesday with Double-A Harrisburg as they take on Richmond. The game will be at noon at Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg, Pa. The gates open at 11 a.m.

Strasburg has been on the disabled list since May 30 with a left trapezius strain.

On Friday in Milwaukee, Strasburg threw 60 pitches in a bullpen session. Earlier, he had practiced holding the end of a towel in his follow-through until it whipped to find his release point. Strasburg has felt fine since that session, so now he has the green light to start for Harrisburg on Wednesday.

Doug Fister (right forearm tightness) appears close to returning from the disabled list following six scoreless innings with the Senators on Friday. Fister could start Wednesday night's home game for the Nats against the Rays.

Rookie right-hander Joe Ross was tremendous Saturday in his second start. Ross went eight innings and allowed only two runs on seven hits, with one walk and eight strikeouts. He set a Nationals' rookie record for consecutive batters without allowing a walk (50). Tommy Milone had the previous record of 45 batters.

With Ross going eight and Max Scherzer nine innings Sunday, the bullpen is rested as the team wraps up its road trip with the first of two tonight at Tampa Bay.

Ross might be able to stay with the club for a while longer to allow Tanner Roark to return to the bullpen and his relief role. Roark could mimic Craig Stammen's role as kind of a jack-of-all-trades for the bullpen with the ability to go long or be a specialist. The Nationals have given several rookies a shot to grab that fifth starting role, and Ross has a good chance of staying up with the big club to help protect the starters.

When Fister and Strasburg return, Ross could go back to Harrisburg. But there is no hurry, and Ross has shown the poise to be able to handle tough situations and find a way through them. He certainly was another good find for Mike Rizzo in the trade that sent Steven Souza Jr. to the Rays. Souza takes on his former team for the next four games.