The Washington Nationals announced on Saturday morning that this past Friday night's starter, Ross Detwiler, was dealing with a stiff lower back unrelated to the oblique injury that forced him to the DL for a month just a few weeks back. Detwiler, 27, surrendered six hits and three runs, two earned in five innings of work against the New York Mets in Citi Field in the first game of this weekend's three-game series.
Though he showed no signs of a back issue during the start, he told the team about it on Saturday. It was unclear at that point if Detwiler would make his next scheduled outing on Wednesday in the nation's capital. According to reports from Flushing, Queens this morning, Detwiler felt better on Sunday after playing catch and he has a side session scheduled for Monday that should determine for sure whether he pitches on Wednesday though there was apparently little doubt he would make the start when Davey Johnson brought Detwiler up with reporters today:
Ross Detwiler had no issues while playing catch. Seems there is little question about him making the start on Wednesday.
— Amanda Comak (@acomak) June 30, 2013
Davey says Ross Detwiler (back) feels better today and thinks he can make his next start. Will throw a side session tomorrow.
— Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) June 30, 2013
Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore noted in an article on Sunday that, "Detwiler still has to throw a side session Monday, but his status no longer seems to be an issue." Had there been an issue, Ross Ohlendorf would likely have filled in for Detwiler. The WaPost's Mr. Kilgore also wrote about Dan Haren's positive throwing session on Sunday. Haren, who went to the DL reluctantly, told the reporter he now realizes he may have been worse off than he believed before he got a cortisone shot in his shoulder and sat for a few days.
"'I don’t know if it’s the time off or getting the shot or a combination of both,'" Haren's quoted saying in the Washington Post report, "'But it feels good coming out.'" Haren said he hopes to be able to return to the rotation without any minor league rehab starts. While he's out, 24-year-old right-hander Taylor Jordan is expected to get a few starts, but the Nationals have been clear thus far that they think Haren will be back in the rotation when he's eligible to return from the DL.