If all goes well with a side session on Thursday, Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg will make his first rehab appearance this season on Sunday. The appearance would be the first for Strasburg in a professional game since undergoing Tommy John surgery last September.
The 23-year-old right-handed starter would pitch in Hagerstown for one of the Nats' Single-A affiliates. According to CSN Washington reporter Mark Zuckerman, the start would only be one or two innings. Washington Post reporter James Wagner tweeted that Nationals manager Davey Johnson wants to examine Strasburg's side work before putting him in any kind of a game:
"#Nationals Manager Davey Johnson says that if Strasburg's side work goes well tomorrow, they'll be looking at a Hagerstown start on the 7th."
Strasburg could end up throwing to Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who might be making a rehab appearance of his own in Hagerstown. Rodriguez has not played since July 6 after injuring his oblique.
For more on the Nationals and Strasburg's recovery, visit Federal Baseball.