Strasburg, Ross to face hitters Wednesday, Sánchez still sidelined

SAN FRANCISCO – Three right-handers who would probably be members of the Nationals rotation right now if healthy remain out, though two of them at least are about to cross a significant hurdle in their recoveries.

Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross are scheduled to face live hitters Wednesday in West Palm Beach, Fla. It’ll be the first time Strasburg has done that since mid-March and the first time Ross has done it since he was shut down last summer with a tear in his right elbow.

After weeks strictly throwing off a bullpen mound, both Strasburg and Ross will pitch to live hitters at extended spring training. If all goes well, they would be ready to progress to pitching in a game situation shortly after, then a minor league rehab assignment that would allow them build their arms up to be ready to join the major league rotation at last.

Strasburg already had thrown to live hitters briefly during spring training but backed off because he wasn’t happy with his mechanics, Martinez said last week. The 33-year-old, attempting to return from last July’s thoracic outlet surgery, has since been working out of a windup for the first time since 2017, trying to get more power from his legs to compensate what he lost from his arm.

Ross, who missed the second half of last season with a slight tear of the ulnar collateral ligament, then had surgery in early-March to remove a bone spur in that elbow. The 28-year-old will now be ready to face live hitters for the first time.

The news is less encouraging on Aníbal Sánchez, who continues to be hampered by the neck ailment that first afflicted him coming out of spring training.

Sánchez still hasn’t been cleared to throw, per Martinez.

“He’s slowly but surely getting better,” the manager said. “When you’re dealing with the neck area, we’ve got to be very cautious of what’s going on. But he’s progressing, he’s getting better, he’s working hard to get back and help us win. He’s not throwing still, but it seems like the pain is subsiding every day, so that’s good.”

Sánchez's initial diagnosis (cervical nerve impingement) hasn’t changed, according to Martinez. It’s just taking the 38-year-old a long time to recover from it.

“It’s the same issue he had right when he first had that stiffness in his neck,” he said. “But he says he’s getting better. Hopefully we get him back.”