Anthony Rendon nearing game action in rehab process

By Josh Land

Nationals

May 23, 2015, 11:34am

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Anthony Rendon was on the field for more pregame work with the Nationals this afternoon. Stationed at second base, Rendon took several grounders while working on double plays.

"He feels good," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "A little bit more intensity today on the ground balls ... turning the pivot at second. He feels good about where he's at right now. After yesterday, he reported today feeling great."

After infield practice, Rendon jumped in the batter's box for a full round of BP. It didn't appear as though he was going all out with his swing, but he lined balls in typical fashion around the field.

With the Nats headed on the road for six games in Chicago and Cincinnati, Williams laid out the plan for Rendon.

"He'll go back to Florida for a couple of days of simulated games where they can control things to make sure that he's ready to go," Williams said. "He'll start with three innings then five innings ... the normal protocol. And then after he goes through that, we'll determine where he can go and make sure that he feels OK to do that."

So it would seem that as long as Rendon comes out of his simulated game action with his left oblique feeling good, then the next move would be for him to head to a minor league rehab assignment possibly as early as next weekend.

Rendon's practice at second base indicates that he'll play the position when he returns to the Nationals. Yunel Escobar has performed well at third base in Rendon's absence. Escobar played all but 82 of his 1,098 games at shortstop in his career. So it would make sense for Escobar to feel more comfortable on the same side of the diamond playing third base as opposed to second base.

Regardless of position, it's scary to think about adding a healthy Rendon to this Nats offense that has been destroying pitchers over the past month. Coming off a year where he led the National League in runs scored with 111 and was third in total bases with 290, Rendon gives Williams all sorts of options at the top of his batting order.