Ross to start Monday, Eaton out of lineup, Zimmerman likely back Sunday

The Nationals rotation is now set for the Marlins and Mets series. Tonight through Sunday, the Nationals pitchers will be Aníbal Sánchez, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. Manager Davey Martinez confirmed the Nationals will start Joe Ross on Labor Day afternoon in the first game against the Mets.

So that leaves Max Scherzer set for Tuesday night and Sánchez on Wednesday afternoon.

"So come Monday, Joe Ross will start," Martinez said. "So we will give the other guys an extra day, give Max an extra day."

The skipper said the Nats will not start Erick Fedde, keeping him as a reliever for now.

"We are just giving Max an extra day," Martinez said. "We thought Fedde was going to pitch, but we are going to pitch Joe. Wednesday is Sánchez again. Fedde is still in the bullpen right now. We just want to get Joe back in there. I didn`t want to give him the hook because he's been pitching well."

Martinez said he has been in close contact with Scherzer after his 89-pitch effort Wednesday night against the Orioles to gauge how the veteran was feeling.

"He texted me yesterday," Martinez said. "I wanted him to text me because I wanted to see how he felt. He said he felt really good. Our conversation (was) moving forward, with an extra day of strengthening, keep you on the right path? He said, 'Yeah,' confirmed with him today. So he likes that idea. That will be good for him."

This also keeps Scherzer in line to start the series finale next Sunday in Atlanta.

* Adam Eaton is out of the lineup and is day-to-day after getting hit by a pitch Wednesday night against the Orioles. Martinez said the right fielder is available to pinch-hit.

"Here's the deal with some injuries like that," Martinez explained. "He got hit in a bad spot of the knee. It swelled up a little bit. He feels better today. Believe me, he fought me to play, but if his knee swells up because he is out there, all of a sudden in the third inning, kind of puts us in a bind. I told him if you get treatment and feel better and you do baseball related activities before and we need you, then you're available. But to start and all of a sudden something goes bad, have to take you out, then we got to use another player.

"I'm always afraid of pulling a calf or pulling a hamstring because he's trying to avoid putting pressure on his knee. So that's a big part of it, too."

* Ryan Zimmerman was back in the clubhouse before today's game as he recovers from plantar fasciitis in his right foot that flared up again July 22 and forced him to the injured list. Martinez believes there is a good chance the first baseman will be activated Sunday. Zimmerman completed his rehab assignment Tuesday at high Single-A Potomac.

"He's going to work out with us for two days, get him back, get him here, get him to take ground balls, get eyes on him," Martinez said. "He feels good, looks good. I want him to continue to run the bases the next few days and then hopefully Sunday we will activate him."

Zimmerman must be feeling better because he joked about his ability to hit well in the minor leagues.

"I feel good," Zimmerman said. "I can hit in High-A still, so that's good. Everything is different. Definitely feels better now than it did before, so hopefully it stays that way."