Rizzo: Jordan will get opportunity to compete for 2014 starting role

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

July 28, 2013, 7:49am

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Right-hander Taylor Jordan deserves a win today. He has been solid in every start so far in the majors, but has an 0-3 record. This will be his sixth start of his major league career. Nationals general Mike Rizzo was asked if Jordan would be on the same 160-inning limit that Stephen Strasburg was in his recovery from Tommy John. "We have parameters in mind for Taylor Jordan," Rizzo said. "When we feel he is done pitching, we will shut him down." Rizzo also said Jordan will get the opportunity to compete for a 2014 starting role. "He will get every opportunity to be in the mix for the rotation next year, certainly," Rizzo said. "He has pitched extremely well. I like his demeanor on the mound. He shows poise of a major league pitcher and has the stuff for it." Jordan has a 3.68 ERA in 29 1/3 innings, and has done a very good job of repeating what he was doing in the minors at the major league level. His progress doesn't surprise Rizzo in the least. "No, I am not surprised at all," Rizzo said. "We thought we knew what we had with him. That is why we got his feet wet in major league spring training games this spring. He was a guy we liked extremely a lot out of the draft and of course got side tracked by the injury."