Baker confirms Strasburg heading to DL, Fedde to be called up Thursday

The Nationals are calling up right-hander Erick Fedde to start in place of Stephen Strasburg on Saturday against the Rockies.

Manager Dusty Baker confirmed that Strasburg will go on the disabled list Thursday, retroactive to July 23.

In his last start Sunday at Arizona, Strasburg finished only two innings and left, citing "achiness" in his arm. Nationals head athletic trainer Paul Lessard described it Tuesday as a nerve impingement in his arm that has since been alleviated.

"Yes. (Fedde) is coming up," Baker said after the Nationals' 8-5 comeback win over the Brewers. "He'll get a start. We just backed up Stras just for precaution. He'll miss one turn. Good thing, this is where the 10-day DL comes into effect, to help him. We'll put him on the DL tomorrow. We'll backdate it, then he'll only miss one turn."

Fedde was drafted in the first round in 2014 as a starter out of UNLV. He has made 47 minor league starts and has appeared in 64 games overall. Fedde missed the rest of the 2014 campaign and half of 2015 as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery. He was known as one of the toughest pitchers for the Runnin' Rebels and battled through pain to pitch for Team USA.

Baker talked about the big picture for Strasburg before Wednesday's game, hoping that this 10-day rest will pay dividends in late September and into October for the Nationals. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman understands taking the cautious approach for such an important starting pitcher.

"From what I understand, it's not anything serious," Zimmerman said. "I think if you look around the league, a lot of teams do that willingly. So I think obviously we got to try and win each game, each day, and he gives us a really good chance to win every time he pitches every fifth day.

"Like you said, big picture. We got to make sure that he's able to help us win every fifth day in a month or two from now. I'm sure he wasn't too happy about it because that's the kind of guy he is. But the training staff back there has been pretty good for us and they usually make the right decision."