Updates on LaRoche and Zimmerman

Last night, none of the Nationals' regular starters played in the team's 3-1 loss to the Braves. Manager Matt Williams indicated most, if not all of the starters would return to the lineup tonight as the Nats begin a four-game series with the Marlins. First baseman Adam LaRoche is the lone starter that will be on the bench tonight. According to Williams, LaRoche is still battling a sore back which has plagued him for most of the month. "He's been battling that back issue for a while," Williams told reporters prior to the game in Miami. "The day in L.A. made it such that he was going to play every day from then on because he just started to go off. He never really got a chance to calm it (down) given that game. The day off yesterday, I talked to him today and he said 'I think it will be OK for the rest of the way if I get one more.' So we're going to give him one more today just to make sure. It's actually better." Right now Williams is trying to find the right balance between fielding a healthy club once the postseason begins and fighting for the best record in the National League, which would secure home field advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs. "Last night was just one of those situations where you need to get them a day because they pushed to get to that point," Williams said. "Unless somebody gets nicked and banged then the guys are going to play. We can balance that by trying to get Hairy (Scott Hairston) some at-bats and Franny (Kevin Frandsen) some at-bats and Nate (Schierholtz) some at-bats. In that regard, we need to continue to try and stay with our plan and win games. If we can do that, then we get the chance to control our own destiny in that regard." Williams is worried that an extended period of inactivity could hurt the players' rhythm, timing and defense. Infielder/Outfielder Ryan Zimmerman had seven at-bats in an instructional league game in Viera, Fla., today. He served as the designated hitter and picked up one hit. "He hit some grounders today which was good. He went down the line hard," Williams said. "They said he was about 85-percent running down the line, which is good. He hit a couple balls to short and had to kind of go, which is a good thing for him. We all want him to get a million hits, but those are probably more important." Zimmerman is expected to play seven innings tomorrow and start in left field. Depending on how that goes and how Zimmerman is feeling afterwards, he could rejoin the Nationals soon.