Stephen Straburg's second rehab start after this past Sunday's 1.2 inning outing for the Class-A Hagerstown Suns will take place this Friday night at Pfitzner Stadium, home of the high-A Potomac Nationals, the Nats' other Class-A affiliate. The Nationals made the announcement just moments ago on the Twitter (@NationalsPR), ending speculation as to whether the 23-year-old right-hander would make his first start for the P-Nats or pitch for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, for whom he made his first professional starts in early 2010.
The right-hander threw 31 pitches on Sunday, 25 of them strikes, allowing three hits (including a HR) and striking out four batters from the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Florida Marlins' Class-A affiliate. Friday night the Nats' '09 no.1 overall pick will pitch against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Texas Rangers' high-A affiliate. Asked about some of the other Nats' pitchers like Brad Peacock and Tom Milone and whether or not Nats fans might see them in the Majors this season, Nationals' Skipper Davey Johnson told MLB Network Radio hosts Jim Bowden and Casey Stern this afternoon that both were impressive and had probably earned a look, but Strasburg would likely be back too, Johnson said, "I mean, shoot. He's in the first day of rehab throwing in the high 90's. He's in great shape, he's worked his tail off and I saw him a couple time during his rehab. He's chomping at the bit, we're kind of holding him back."
Eventually returning to the Majors this September has always been the right-hander's goal, however, as he told reporters this past Sunday. "It's a goal I made for myself coming right out of surgery," Strasburg said, "I wanted to come back and get the experience pitching in September. I knew it possibly wasn't going to happen just based on how I was recovering, but I haven't had any setbacks so far and it's coming back nicely." The next step takes place this Friday. Say a prayer for the Pelicans...