How the Nationals will make room for Chien-Ming Wang - 棒球

Posted at 05:29 PM ET, 07/26/2011

How the Nationals will make room for Chien-Ming Wang
By Adam Kilgore


The Nationals will recall Chien-Ming Wang from his rehab assignment tonight
but leave him on the disabled list until Friday, when he will start against
the New York Mets. The Nationals have not finalized how they will alter their
pitching staff to accommodate Wang, but, barring a trade, Wang will be taking
Tom Gorzelanny’s spot in the rotation.

With Wang in the rotation, Gorzelanny, who five days after spraining his
right ankle allowed five runs in three innings Saturday night, will likely
move to the bullpen. In order to make room for Wang on the 25-man roster,
one of their current relievers with options will be sent to Class AAA
Syracuse.

The most likely candidate might be Ross Detwiler, since Gorzelanny would be
used as a left-handed long reliever and spot starter, the role Detwiler has
filled (and filled well, too).

Manager Davey Johnson cautioned against jumping to a conclusion, since the
Nationals’ actions before Sunday’s trade deadline could impact the
immediate future of their rotation. The Nationals are making veterans
starters Livan Hernandez and Jason Marquis available in trades; the Tigers,
one team in need of a starter, sent a scout to watch Marquis’s start Sunday
against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

If there’s no trade, though, Gorzelanny will be prepared Friday to pitch
behind Wang should he falter early in his first major league start since
July 2009. “I like having a back-up plan,” Johnson said.

Johnson said Marquis is the probable starter Saturday, which means the
Nationals have no plans to move Gorzelanny back a day.

By Adam Kilgore | 05:29 PM ET, 07/26/2011


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