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Erick Fedde was set to go up against the New York Mets again tonight, on the road in Port St. Lucie, FL’s Clover Park, where the two clubs meet up again in Grapefruit League action at 6:10 PM ET, but when the Washington Nationals’ lineup for tonight’s game was released earlier this afternoon, Josh Rogers was listed as the starter for the visiting club.
It didn’t take long for information on the substitution to come out via Twitter from Florida:
Erick Fedde scratched from tonight’s start vs Mets after reporting tightness in his right side this morning. Josh Rogers, who was already on the same pitching schedule, will start instead.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) March 31, 2022
Erick Fedde was scratched from tonight’s start due to tightness in his right side. Josh Rogers slides in. Fedde will get an MRI. Dave Martinez didn’t seem too concerned, but results will obviously dictate next steps.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) March 31, 2022
Fedde, 29, is in camp competing for a spot in the Nationals’ rotation, or at least on the 28-man Opening Day roster.
In a follow-up tweet, MASN’s Mark Zuckerman too reported the team is not too concerned about Fedde right now, but are waiting on the results of an MRI before they make any kind of decision on what’s next for their 2014 1st Round pick.
At this point, there’s no real concern about Fedde’s tight right side. He’ll get an MRI to confirm that. If it returns clean, he could throw a live BP in a few days and still make one more exhibition start before the season begins.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) March 31, 2022
Another setback among their starters would be a tough blow for the club, with Joe Ross out after surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow, and Stephen Strasburg still trying to build up slowly coming off season-ending surgeries in each of the last two seasons and a limited amount of activity since he helped the team win the World Series in 2019 and signed a 7-year/$245M free agent deal with the team.
Fedde has tossed 4 2⁄3 scoreless in Grapefruit League action this spring, walking three and striking out three with opposing hitters putting up a .200 AVG against him early this year.
Rogers, 27, will make his second start of the spring tonight, after he gave up two hits and a run (on a home run) in his 2022 debut.
As noted above, Rogers was pitching on the same schedule, so it’s not a big change for the left-hander, who joined the organization last summer, and made a strong impression down the stretch, after struggling with injuries and undergoing Tommy John surgery while part of the Baltimore Orioles’ organization from 2018-21.
Tonight’s game is available via MLB.tv (and the Mets’ network, SNY) if you’re interested. And here’s the Nationals’ lineup:
#Nats’ lineup vs the #Mets tonight (6:05) in Port St. Lucie (on MLB dot ):
— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) March 31, 2022
Dee Strange-Gordon - 2B
Juan Soto - RF
Nelson Cruz - DH
Lane Thomas - CF
Andrew Stevenson - LF
Maikel Franco - 1B
Alcides Escobar - SS
Riley Adams - C
Ehire Adrianza - 3B
Josh Rogers - LHP
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