Williams updates Fister; tonight's game postponed, split doubleheader tomorrow

Nationals manager Matt Williams was encouraged by right-hander Doug Fister's bullpen session this afternoon. It was Fister's first since landing on the 15-day disabled list with a right flexor strain in his forearm.

"He's done flat ground, long toss, the standard protocol ... but today was off the slope," Williams said. "Twenty-25 (pitches). He's got to continue to increase those bullpens until he's ready to go live hitters or simulation and go from there."

Fister landed on the DL a day after his forearm tightened during his start on May 14 in San Diego. In the outing, the Padres shelled Fister for seven runs on eight hits, including two homers, in just two innings.

Williams indicated that Fister will wait a day or two before ramping it up in his next bullpen session, but he's still a bit away from heading off for a minor league rehab assignment.

"You have to make sure that he's good to go with all of his pitches ... that nothing gives him an issue," Williams said. "So he's got to accomplish that goal, get to a point where he can throw all of his pitches in the bullpen and all of his pitches in a simulated situation where he is putting a little more on it. Then get him into a game and increase his innings. It doesn't do any good to send him out there and throw three innings and declare he's ready, because he wouldn't have stamina enough to get to where we want to him to get to. It's all part of the process."

Coming off leading the Nationals in wins last season, Fister hasn't been his normal self so far this year. He is 2-2 with a 4.31 ERA while being tagged for five home runs in seven starts.

Williams also said that left-hander Sammy Solis threw a short bullpen today and felt good about his progress. The rookie was placed on the disabled list with inflammation in his throwing shoulder on May 22.

Solis made his major league debut on April 30 and pitched six scoreless innings in his first three appearances out of the bullpen. But the 26-year-old was roughed up for five runs over three innings in his last two outings and wound up on the DL.

Meanwhile, Stephen Strasburg was due to meet with doctors at Nats Park sometime before tonight's game. Strasburg only made it through 16 pitches in Friday's start before neck tightness on his left side ended his night. On Saturday, Strasburg was placed on the disabled list.

Williams has yet to name a starter for the final game of the Blue Jays series on Wednesday. He said he needs to see how his bullpen is used over the next two games before he determines who he'll send to the mound for the series finale.

Update: Tonight's game has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader tomorrow, with the first game starting at 1:05 p.m.