Williams: Roark will start Monday or Tuesday as Fister heals on D.L.

With Doug Fister (right forearm tightness) still recovering on the disabled list, Nationals manager Matt Williams announced during Friday's pregame media availability that Tanner Roark will get the next start to fill Fister's spot. "He's getting stretched out for either Monday or Tuesday," Williams said. "We have the availability for either one of those days. He threw to some hitters today. It depends on what happens in our games the next three days and whether we have to use him or not. We'll make that determination as we get closer to Monday or Tuesday. roark-pitching-red-sidebar.jpg "We have to have a starter on one of those days so we can't argue with a 15 (sic) game winner going out there for us so he's going to get that turn." Williams says it is a luxury being able to bring in a proven starter out of the bullpen. He said the coaching staff has noticed that Roark didn't pout in spring training when he was told he would be a reliever. He also didn't react negatively when the club brought up A.J. Cole to start a game. Roark just takes the ball when he's called upon. "I think Tanner has been the ultimate warrior this year in that he's done whatever we've asked him to do without comment, without complaint, without any change in attitude," Williams said. "He's taken the ball when he's asked to take the ball and he'll do the same when he gets his start. He's been to 50 (pitches). We feel comfortable with him going at least 70ish (pitches), so with his repertoire there's no reason he couldn't go extended in a game at 70 pitches, so we will see where he's at." Williams said there was no immediate update or change in Fister's status. Fister did not throw yesterday and no throwing schedule is set. "It depends on how he feels," Williams said. "It depends on how the forearm is feeling. So we'll monitor that. That's a day-to-day thing. If he feels good about it, we can try it. But as of yesterday, he wasn't ready to go there yet." Left-handed reliever Sammy Solis has not pitched since May 17 and has used only twice since May 10. He has been suffering from slight shoulder inflammation and the club placed him on the 15-day disabled list. "Over the course of his time here he felt pretty good. After his last outing he complained of a little bit of soreness in his shoulder," Williams said. "It didn't get better as much as he wanted to get better so over the last couple of games, certainly against New York, he wasn't available." Williams said the Nationals felt reliever Casey Janssen (shoulder inflammation) had shown well in his rehab assignment and was good to go to be activated for the first time this season. "The fact that Casey's ready, the fact that we wouldn't know whether (Solis) would be available for this series either, we decided to go ahead and nip it in the bud and make sure we can get it calmed down and activate Casey," Williams said. "I think he's ready to go. He was ready to go the other day. He was sharp the other day when he pitched. Casey's ready." Williams would not commit to saying Janssen would jump right back in and be the setup man, which was the responsibility most thought he would take on after Tyler Clippard moved on to Oakland. He said it would depend on how the games go as to where Janssen would fit in. "He certainly has experience," Williams said. "He's been there and done that. No moment would be too big for him even coming off the D.L., he's been there before."



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