Nine games in, Nats pitching staff is far from healthy

Whatever concern the Nationals had about their veteran pitchers' ability to make it through the 2020 season healthy after a grueling 2019 that didn't end until they hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy on Oct. 30 seemed to vanish once it became clear the 2020 season wouldn't start until midsummer and would be severely reduced in length.

What a perfect opportunity for Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, Aníbal Sánchez, Sean Doolittle, Daniel Hudson and even former Astro Will Harris to get much-needed extra rest before giving everything they had in this 60-game sprint of a season.

Well, nine games into the sprint, four of those seven pitchers aren't right. And that's a growing concern.

Strasburg has yet to make his debut due to a nerve impingement in his right wrist. Harris landed on the injured list after two shaky appearances due to a groin strain. Doolittle remains on the active roster but looked out of whack again Wednesday night during a ragged relief appearance. And, of course, Scherzer had to depart Wednesday's start after only one inning due to a right hamstring tweak.

Perhaps none of these will prove serious or keep any of them out for an extended period of time. But at this moment, it's only appropriate to be concerned, and also to recognize that in a 60-game season any days missed are significant.

Scherzer's ailment is the big headline this morning, though the three-time Cy Young Award winner was adamant it's not a big deal.

"Looking forward, I'm thinking in a couple days I'm going to be feeling pretty darn good," he said. "I don't think it's a major injury. I fully anticipate being back on the mound here sooner rather than later."

The pessimist will point out Scherzer was equally unconcerned last summer when he first dealt with a mysterious back strain, only to deal with that ailment most of the rest of the season and then have to miss his scheduled Game 5 start in the World Series when his neck locked up.

The optimist will remember Scherzer had a minor hamstring tweak right at the end of the 2017 season and had to have his start in the National League Division Series against the Cubs pushed back to Game 3. He proceeded to carry a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Wrigley Field.

And for more optimism, consider that Scherzer said he first felt hamstring discomfort before last week's start against the Blue Jays, and then he tossed 7 1/3 innings of scoreless ball.

Again, we'll see. Scherzer is next scheduled to pitch either Monday or Tuesday against the Mets at Citi Field. Until he actually does and experiences no setbacks, it'll be cause for concern.

The Nationals hope to have Strasburg back in their rotation around the same time. They hope Wednesday afternoon's simulated game at Nationals Park was the final step in his rehab process. But was the 32-pitch session (less than the 45 to 50 pitches Davey Martinez said earlier in the day that the right-hander was supposed to throw) enough to make Strasburg ready to face the Mets for real next week?

"We're going to see how he feels tomorrow, and then we'll go from there," Martinez said.

In the meantime, the Nationals will need quality work from Sánchez, Corbin and Austin Voth this weekend against the Orioles.

They'll also need to keep relying on some previously unheralded members of their bullpen to help offset Harris' injury and Doolittle's continued struggles.

Doolittle was back on the mound Wednesday for the first time in eight days, having spent the interim working on his wayward mechanics in hopes of improved results. The left-hander did not get that against the Mets.

Doolittle faced four batters in the top of the seventh, three of them left-handed, and surrendered two hits and a walk. His fastball was 90-91 mph, several ticks below his typically effective velocity. And his command was off.

As he walked off the mound, the former All-Star closer again looked lost. He and the team will have to figure out the next step.

Then again, Doolittle is hardly the only member of the Nationals pitching staff that needs attention right now.