Next step for Detwiler is Minor League start

By Bill Ladson, Andrew Simon and Tom Schad

June 5, 2013

WASHINGTON -- Nationals starter Ross Detwiler "threw the heck out of the ball" in his bullpen session on Wednesday, manager Davey Johnson said. The left-hander likely will make one rehab start in the Minors before rejoining the Major League club as he continues to rehab a strained oblique.

"He hasn't faced hitters in almost three weeks, so he's going to go to [Class A] Potomac or [Double-A] Harrisburg or whatever's close by and probably throw somewhere between 40 and 50 pitches," Johnson said.

Detwiler injured the oblique while running the bases against the Dodgers on May 15. After throwing a bullpen session on Saturday, the oblique tightened up on him and forced him to miss another start.

Johnson said the team will wait until Thursday to make sure that the same thing doesn't happen after Wednesday's bullpen session.

"The last time he threw a bullpen, the next day he was stiff," Johnson said. "So tomorrow we'll have to check him and make sure he's not having any discomfort on his side. It could be as early as three days [before he makes a rehab start], it could be longer."

Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He also could be found on Twitter @WashinNats. Andrew Simon is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @HitTheCutoff. Tom Schad is an associate reporter for MLB.com.