Rendon at third base Wednesday; updates on Purke, Giolito and Solis

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (ankle) will continue his rehab schedule Wednesday in New York. The short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays have the day off and are traveling to New York City. Rendon will play third base against the Staten Island Yankees on Wednesday night. The team then faces the Brooklyn Cyclones starting Aug. 4. Rendon's recent schedule has followed the pattern of playing third the first day, serving as the designated hitter the next and then resting for a day. When in the field, Rendon has been playing six innings. The team will ramp him up from there. "We are going to incrementally work him up to nine innings," Nationals director of player development Doug Harris said. "We want to get as many at-bats and as many repetitions as we can out of him till the end of the season." The Nationals' top selection in the 2012 draft, right-hander Lucas Giolito, is working out at the team's facility in Viera, Fla. Harris said Giolito is "building strength in his arm. He is making progress. Hopefully, he will be mound-ready soon." Giolito is recovering from an ulnar collateral ligament injury to his right elbow suffered pitching in a high school game March 7. Left-hander Matt Purke (shoulder) continues his rehab at the Viera facility. He has not pitched in a minor league game since June 10. "We are building his body composition and strength and getting him in the best position to maximize his arm," Harris said. "We want to allow his arm to work the best way possible from a mechanical standpoint. He is doing limited baseball-related activities. He is now in the early part of his throwing program." Left-hander Sammy Solis (elbow) is right on track as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. "Physically, he is good and his arm is good," Harris said. There is no timetable available as to when Solis will be able to resume baseball-related activities. His surgery was March 6, so you could expect Solis to be close to throwing off flat ground by the end of this year.