Nats-Braves rained out, no makeup scheduled yet

The Nationals are going to have to wait a while longer to try to get over Friday night's loss to the Braves and everything else that accompanied it.

Tonight's game at Nationals Park was postponed a full five hours before scheduled first pitch, with heavy rain dousing the area all morning and expected to continue straight through the evening.

No makeup plans were immediately announced, but a Sunday doubleheader doesn't appear to be a viable option because the forecast remains lousy and the chances of the two teams playing one more game this weekend - let alone two - is questionable at best.

A more likely scenario would be the addition of a game on August 6, currently a common off-day just before the two teams are scheduled to meet again here for a three-game series.

For now, the Nationals are telling fans that tickets and parking passes for tonight's game will be honored for the rescheduled game, whenever that eventually takes place. They also may be exchanged for tickets to any other regular season game this season, though any exchanges must be made before the rescheduled game is played.

The Nats haven't announced rotation plans yet, but they could choose to skip over Gio Gonzalez's start and send Max Scherzer to the mound Sunday as originally planned. That, however, presumes Sunday's game will be played at all, so the club may choose to wait before revealing any pitching plans.

Either way, the Nationals are going to have to wait anywhere from 24 to 48 extra hours before returning to the field following Friday night's frustrating, 8-5 loss to Atlanta, one that saw Stephen Strasburg surrender six runs in his return from the disabled list and then get into an animated conversation with Scherzer in the dugout before both pitchers headed down toward the clubhouse.

Davey Martinez summoned Scherzer and Strasburg to his office for a 15-minute postgame meeting, after which the rookie manager insisted all parties would be able to put the incident behind them.

"We had a really good conversation, I'll just say that," Martinez said. "It was addressed. Look, they're very competitive. Everybody is. I'm glad we talked. It's over. Let's move forward. These guys are professionals. We're good."

Update: Both teams announced they will skip tonight's scheduled starters and stick with their planned starters for Sunday's game. So it'll be Scherzer vs. fellow right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (if the weather allows).