Nationals face tricky rotation decision this week

There are any number of reasons for the Nationals' in-season resurgence, but their most recent stretch of success has especially been made possible by elite starting pitching.

Over the last 22 games, Nats starters are 13-0 with 2.40 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and .594 opponents' OPS. Yes, that's right, a member of this rotation has not been charged with a loss since June 15. That's a staggering stretch of pitching dominance.

But if this run is going to continue, the Nationals are going to have to get effective starts out of a pair of less-proven, less-experienced arms who are about to be thrust into the spotlight out of necessity.

Tonight in Baltimore, Austin Voth takes the mound for his first start of the season's second half. It's the rookie's fourth start of the year, the sixth of his abbreviated big league career. And then at some point later this week, someone (ie. Erick Fedde or Joe Ross) is going to have to be promoted from the minors to make another start.

This is all a byproduct of Max Scherzer's mid-back strain, which has landed the ace on the 10-day injured list and prevented him from making his second-half debut until Saturday in Atlanta at the earliest. Had things gone according to plan, Scherzer would've started Sunday in Philadelphia. Or, at worst, tonight in Baltimore. Instead, someone else needs to take his turn in the rotation at least once before he can return.

And that raises a particularly tricky question for the Nationals: When should that fill-in starter be used?

If they want to delay the decision as long as possible, the Nats would simply send Stephen Strasburg to the mound on normal rest Wednesday night, then open their critical four-game series with the Braves with Patrick Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez starting Thursday and Friday night, respectively. If Scherzer returns Saturday, they could effectively wait til Sunday to give the ball to either Fedde or Ross.

But is it wise to have Strasburg face the Orioles, owners of the majors' worst record, when he could be saved for the far more important weekend series in Atlanta? The Nationals would love to send their top four starters to the hill at SunTrust Park: Strasburg in the opener, followed by Corbin, Scherzer and Sánchez.

That, however, would result in a Fedde or Ross start Wednesday night at Camden Yards, one night after Voth makes the start.

Who knows how this two-game interleague series will play out, but there is inherent risk starting a pair of bottom-of-the-rotation right-handers instead of a proven big league arm like Strasburg.

The Nationals have made no announcements yet, beyond naming Voth as tonight's starter against journeyman righty Asher Wojciechowski. The identity of Wednesday's starter remains a mystery, though there was a potentially big clue offered up Monday night when Fedde didn't start for Double-A Harrisburg as originally announced.

Instead, the Senators used Jacob Condra-Bogan (a reliever by trade) for a three-inning start against Bowie. That makes Fedde available to join the Nationals and potentially start Wednesday's game.