Harper's text to Williams: "I'm good to go"; Escobar late scratch

Nationals manager Matt Williams' phone buzzed early today with a message from his star right fielder Bryce Harper.

"I got a text from him this morning that said, 'I'm good to go,'" Williams said. "So, yeah, he's ready to go."

Harper returns to the lineup after missing just one game with a strained left hamstring. He took an alarming spill after launching an errant throw in the sixth inning of Thursday's loss to the Rays.

"I've played through pain the last two years sometimes," Harper said in front of his locker before batting practice. "It feels okay. Just gonna get in there and play for the team."

Meanwhile, Yunel Escobar is a late scratch for today's game with a stomach bug. Anthony Rendon moves to third, with Danny Espinosa shifting to second and Ian Desmond, who was supposed to rest, playing shortstop.

Stephen Strasburg completed his side bullpen session this morning without issue. Williams said Strasburg will be re-evaluated tomorrow.

"He was at 80 pitches in his last rehab start," Williams said. "There's no reason he couldn't go to 95 and get in a big league game and do that. We'll have to see about his health, though. Make sure that coming out of this, throwing bullpens is one things. The start that he had was an indication that feels OK. This last bullpen will give us further indication that he's good coming out of that and ready for a next one. There's no reason he wouldn't be in our rotation if he feels good."

That leaves Joe Ross' status up in the air. The rookie has impressed, going 2-1 with a 2.66 ERA in his first three big league starts of his career. The 22-year-old has struck out 23 and walked only two in 20 1/3 innings.

"What I can say to that is he's opened eyes ... seriously opened eyes," Williams said. "So those are decisions that have to be made if Stephen's back and ready to go. We'll have to make those tough decisions. I don't look at it any other way than it's a luxury for our team because he's pitched really well and it's another guy that can pitch really well for us. Unfortunately, we're not gonna go to a six-man rotation. That's not gonna happen. So those decisions will have to be made at some point assuming Stephen is healthy and ready to go. We'll have to make 'em."

Williams had good reports on the improving status of Jayson Werth, who is ramping up his rehab since landing on the 15-day disabled list on May 19 with a fractured left wrist.

"He was out there with his glove on his regular hand, his left hand yesterday shagging fly balls, running around, getting his leg work in," Williams said. "He's doing some light lifting. He's put a bat in his hand. No swings yet, but he's handling a fungo and doing the rotational stuff with that. Of course, all of his regular rehab that needs to happen. Good sign that he's able to do that. They feel like the bones are healed enough to put a little pressure, which is part of the end of the rehab process anyway. He was fine coming out of that, so he'll do more of that and let the bone continue to heal. Go from there. What is he, almost five weeks in now, don't expect any issues with it."

Revised Nats lineup:
CF Denard Span
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Bryce Harper
C Wilson Ramos
2B Danny Espinosa
1B Tyler Moore
SS Ian Desmond
LF Michael A. Taylor
RHP Max Scherzer