Bullpen help on the way as Casey Janssen prepares for rehab stint

The Nationals signed veteran right-hander Casey Janssen in January with the idea that he would step into the eighth-inning setup role vacated by Tyler Clippard. Janssen has yet to pitch in the majors this season after experiencing tendinitis in his throwing shoulder during a Grapefruit League appearance on March 23.

Janssen traveled to Nationals Park to participate in opening day ceremonies but immediately left after to continue his rehabilitation in Viera, Fla. He returned to the Nats clubhouse this morning for the first time in a month as he prepares to begin a minor league rehab stint at Single-A Potomac beginning tomorrow night.

"Probably like the real first part of games, right where you're at where spring training games are starting, is kind of where I'm at," Janssen said. "It'll be nice to pitch in a night game, pitch under some lights and face a different opponent. So I'm looking forward to that. I think all of that will help the velocity and the energy and everything else, too."

Janssen has thrown a couple of innings in two separate extended spring games over the past week in Viera. He continues to regain his strength so he can feature his five-pitch attack.

"Of course, it's not major league-ready, which is annoying for me, but I'm getting there," Janssen said. "It's good to compete, good to get out there and face hitters and stuff like that. But still need my velocity to pick up a couple ticks and just get things a little bit more sharp with the breaking stuff. But come up here, get a few more outings in and see where I'm at."

The Nats' plan when he joins the club will be a bit of a change for Janssen, who's been the closer in Toronto for the past few seasons. From 2011-13, Janssen was 11-2 with a 2.46 ERA while appearing in 173 games with 58 saves and 170 strikeouts.

Janssen has dealt with lingering shoulder soreness since surgery on his right AC joint in November 2013.

There are also some uncertainties about Janssen coming off a rocky end to last season. Before the All-Star break, Janssen was 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in 23 games with 14 saves. But during the break, he experienced a rough bout with food poisoning while on a trip in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and could not return to his previous form. His ERA ballooned to 6.46 in the second half.

But Janssen said he was ready to go when he reported to Space Coast Stadium in mid-February for his first season with a new team after spending all 10 years of his professional career in the Blue Jays organization.

"It's frustrating when you've worked the whole offseason to have a healthy spring training and to have a healthy season," Janssen said. I definitely didn't draw it up to make it look like this. So that's disappointing. It's disappointing to not be here helping. But you've just got to deal with it, get through it, get back as fast as you can and try to help this team win some games."

Nationals manager Matt Williams expects Janssen to pitch at least four games in the minors, including back-to-back contests, before he will be activated from the DL.

"I think if my velocity's back and my command's what it should be, and I'm spinning the ball right, I think it can come quick," Janssen said.

Williams has been forced to deal with a list of injuries, which have certainly effected his team's success through the season's first month. Janssen's absence has led to inconsistency in the back end of Williams' bullpen.

"I don't know if it's hurt," Williams said defensively. "I think the bullpen's been fine. There have been a lot of guys step up. Sammy Solis has got an opportunity to be here, Matt Grace, Aaron Barrett's stepped into that role, Tanner Roark's been in that role. So I don't know if it's hurt."

"We certainly want (Janssen) back and want him part of the team. He adds experience. He adds the ability to save 40 games. He's been there, he's done it. So that helps us. But I think the other guys have stepped into the role just fine. We need to get the ball to those guys in the eighth inning with a lead. That's what we need to do."