Scherzer moved to start Sunday, six-man rotation possible

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

August 30, 2017, 10:46am

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Manager Dusty Baker announced that the Nationals will push back right-hander Max Scherzer to Sunday's game in Milwaukee.

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez will start Thursday's opener against the Brewers, while right-hander Tanner Roark gets the nod for Friday night.

Baker said there is nothing physically wrong with Scherzer, but he wants to spread out his start, and for that matter other starters, for the rest of the regular season as they get ready for October.

"It's late in the year," Baker said. "We hope to have a lot of baseball in front of us. We're going to try to give them all an extra day or even flirting with if there's enough able bodies and if they're all healthy, then maybe go to a sixth man. Have the innings held to a minimum and win as many games as we can in the process."

Baker waved off a question about lining up the starters for the postseason.

"We are looking at the present," Baker said. "Not planning too far ahead. We're trying to win it first. Then we will line it up."

Saturday is currently listed as "TBA" but will most likely be right-hander Erick Fedde, who was called up as the 26th man last Sunday. Because Fedde was designated as the 26th man for the Sunday doubleheader last week against the Mets, he does not have to sit out the mandatory 10 days before he's eligible to be recalled after being optioned back to Triple-A.

Fedde went six innings in Game 1 on Sunday with a no-decision, allowing five runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He tossed 112 pitches, 67 for strikes.