Williams explains Roark decison, lines up Scherzer to face Mets

In order to make room for the return of Denard Span from the 15-day disabled list, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Matt Williams were left with the tough decision to option right-hander Tanner Roark to Single-A Potomac.

Roark, who went 15-6 with a 2.66 ERA in 31 starts last season, has worked primarily out of the bullpen this season. He's 1-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 28 relief appearances. However, with rookie right-hander Joe Ross nearing an innings limit, the Nationals are sending Roark to Potomac to stretch out as a starter.

Williams delivered the news earlier this afternoon.

"It's never easy to send anybody down, especially somebody like Tanner," Williams said. "The guy won 15 games last year. It's not easy to do that at any time, but often times those decisions have to be made and we have to prepare. It's an option that we have. We're not necessarily concerned with the competition that he's going to face, it's about increasing his pitch count.

"So he has the opportunity to do that close, where we can have eyes on him and go from there. So get a couple of starts hopefully and see where he's at after that. We have to make sure that if in fact Joe is at his limit sometime in September, then we have somebody that's prepared to do it."

Roark is 3-1 with a 5.61 ERA in six starts this season. His last start came against the Phillies on June 28, when he allowed eight runs on 12 hits in an 8-5 loss. Williams anticipates Roark will make two starts for Potomac before returning to the Nationals.

"He'll start at somewhere around 60 (pitches)," Williams said. "Last time out, it was 45 (pitches) on his longest one. He can be to 60 and then to 80 from there, depending on how he feels. Again, it's going to be limited for him, and the results are not an issue. We just want him built up. It's been a long time since he's started, so we want to make sure that pitch count gets up there and he's able to fully get through a five-day rotation a couple of times and go from there.

The Nationals have not revealed what the cap on Ross' innings is in his first season in the big leagues. The 22-year-old has combined to throw 136 2/3 innings (76 innings in minors) already this year. Ross maxed out at 121 2/3 innings last season and 122 1/3 innings in 2013.

"All indications from last start was that (Ross) is pretty good," Williams said. "That's a decision that we'll have to make if and when we have to make it. But he's in uncharted territory. So, it's a start to start, day to day, if you will. And we'll have to see where he goes from here, but we want to be prepared if in fact that time come. Where it's time to shut him down, then we have somebody that is stretched out and ready to go."

Meanwhile, Williams has shuffled his rotation to make sure ace Max Scherzer gets a turn against the Mets when they visit Nationals Park from Sept. 7-9. Scherzer did not start in for the Nats in either of the two series against the Mets after the All-Star break.

"I know that we have opportunity when we face (the Mets)," Williams said. "There's a lot of games in between that we have to win to have that opportunity. Lining it up, we've been talking about it for weeks now. Given where we're at and what's in front of us and what we want to accomplish, it gives us the best option."

Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg are also lined up to face the Mets in the two games after Scherzer takes the hill.

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez will face the Padres tomorrow with Ross starting for the Nats on Thursday.