McGowin gets surprise start; Strasburg still hasn't debuted

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - When everyone is healthy and available, the Nationals have one of the best rotations in baseball. But until that happens, they're getting a look at several backup options, including a rather obscure right-hander later today.

Kyle McGowin is scheduled to start this afternoon against the Astros at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches - this is the first time the Nats have been able to play a "road" game in their home stadium - and if you don't know who McGowin is, you're probably not alone.

For the uninitiated, here's the quick bio: McGowin, 25, was one of the two pitchers the Nationals acquired in December from the Angels for Danny Espinosa, along with fellow right-hander Austin Adams. A fifth-round pick in the 2013 draft out of Savannah State, he owns a 4.77 ERA in 75 career minor league games (67 of them starts). Last season, he went 9-14 with a 5.83 ERA in 27 starts between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Salt Lake City.

That's not exactly a glowing resume, but the Nationals like McGowin's potential and see him as someone who can help fill out the rotation at Syracuse and be among the candidates for a promotion if there's a need at the big league level.

As it turns out, the need is right now. That's because Max Scherzer has yet to face live hitters this spring while he recovers from a stress fracture in his right ring finger. And because Tanner Roark, after making one more start this weekend, will be leaving camp to go pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. And because Stephen Strasburg, for reasons that aren't entirely clear, has not yet pitched in a Grapefruit League game.

Strasburg did throw an inning in last Thursday's intrasquad game, and by all accounts emerged from that outing with no issues. It's been a week since then, though, and he hasn't been back on the mound with a hitter in the box.

Asked Tuesday when Strasburg would be pitching in a game, manager Dusty Baker said he didn't remember the precise date but that the right-hander was scheduled to do so. Baker described the delay strictly being about lining Strasburg up on a proper pitching schedule for his regular season debut.

"Don't worry," the manager said. "He's doing fine."

Strasburg pitched only once last season after Aug. 17 due to an elbow injury that eventually was diagnosed as a partially torn pronator tendon. He and the team have said he has been on a normal throwing program since the offseason, with no reports of discomfort.

Perhaps all will be resolved in the next few days. If Strasburg starts Saturday against the Cardinals, he would be on a five-day scheduled that lines him up to pitch opening day (April 3) in place of Scherzer, whose status for that outing against the Marlins remains in question.

Update: Strasburg said this morning he's starting Friday. He said that has been planned for a while because it's a long spring this year, and that his arm feels great.