If leg heals quickly, Ross will remain in Nationals rotation

PITTSBURGH - Joe Ross will remain in the Nationals rotation. If his right leg heals in time after he was struck by a comebacker during Monday night's win over the Pirates.

Ross was still walking with a slight limp and had his lower right leg wrapped this afternoon, still feeling the effects of the 110-mph comebacker that caught him square on the shin the bottom of the fourth the previous night.

The right-hander had to depart the game early, and though he was encouraged afterward that X-rays were negative, he expected to still be in some pain when he woke up this morning.

"He's pretty sore today," manager Davey Martinez said. "He's just going to get treatment today, and hopefully by the end of the day he's moving around a little bit better. Right now he's scheduled as planned to pitch, and we'll see how he feels tomorrow."

Obviously Ross' health takes precedence, but the fact Martinez already is committing to him to remain in the rotation after Max Scherzer returns from the injured list Thursday is significant news in and of itself.

Either Ross or Erick Fedde needs to lose his spot in order for Scherzer to return from his upper back injury, and the two righties each had made compelling cases to remain. It looks like Ross, who has allowed only one run in 21 1/3 innings over four starts this month, has won out.

"For right now, yeah," Martinez said.

Fedde, who has looked quite sharp in several starts, but has been roughed up in a few others, still will prepare as though he's needed to start Saturday in Chicago. He's 3-1 with a 4.99 ERA over his last six outings.

"Right now, we told him he has to be ready, just in case Joe can't pitch," Martinez said. "We haven't decided yet what we're going to do with Fedde, because he's pitched well. We'll come to a decision here in the next couple days."