Rendon, Werth and Zimmerman ramping up rehab action

PITTSBURGH - Anthony Rendon went 3-for-3 with an RBI while playing six innings at third base In Single-A Potomac's 5-1 loss to Frederick last night. The 25-year-old is expected to push it to seven innings tonight again at third base. Rendon's left quad strain sent him to the 15-day disabled list on June 25. He's 7-for-10 (.700) with a double, two walks, one RBI and a run scored in four games over the last week for Potomac.

Ryan Zimmerman is down the road from his Nationals teammates playing in his third rehab game at Double-A Harrisburg. He is scheduled to go seven innings at first base. Zimmerman, on the DL since June 10 with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, is 1-for-4 over the two games.

Jayson Werth went 1-for-5 last night as the designated hitter in Triple-A Syracuse's 4-3 loss at Buffalo. Werth was scheduled for a heavy work day today so he did not play this afternoon for Syracuse. Werth's rehab stint has reached a full week. The 35-year-old veteran has been on the DL since a plunking in San Diego fractured his left wrist on May 16. He's now 6-for-19 with three RBIs, one run scored, one walk and three strikeouts.

"You put your wrist in a splint for two months, it's gonna be weaker than the other one," Nationals manager Matt Williams said about Werth. "It's not gonna be like you're strong and you've been swinging for those two months. So he needs some at-bats and he needs to strengthen it at the same time."

Williams did not give a timetable on when the three stars will rejoin the Nationals.

"They're all getting there," Williams said. "So hopefully no more issues with them and they progress into their nine inning stints."

The Nationals sent Reed Johnson to Viera, Fla. to continue rehabbing his strained left calf. The outfielder hasn't played since April 28.

"He's gotta get on the bases heavy and make sure he can do all that stuff," Williams said. "He's hitting, which is not the issue. He's throwing, but he's gotta be able to go full bore turning bases. He's not quite there yet."

Update: Rendon is 0-for-1 tonight. Zimmerman struck out in his first at-bat.