Tuesday's game postponed, to be made up Thursday

WASHINGTON -- The game between the Nationals and Tigers was postponed because of inclement weather Tuesday and has been rescheduled for Thursday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Both teams were scheduled to be off that day.

Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who was scheduled to pitch Tuesday, will now go against right-hander Anibal Sanchez -- also scheduled to have pitched Tuesday -- on Wednesday night at 7:05 ET. Zimmermann will pitch on six days' rest. When he has more than four days of rest, Zimmerman is 13-19 with a 4.00 ERA.

"I got out of my street clothes for 15 minutes and they canceled the game," Zimmermann said. "It wasn't like I was in game mode. I'll come back here to tomorrow and do it all over again."

Zimmermann is one of baseball's hottest pitchers, going 5-1 with a 1.64 ERA in six starts, and he will face a Tigers team that is tied for the Major League lead in hitting.

"They are swinging a good bat now. I have to bring my 'A' game, and we will see what happens," Zimmermann said. "I enjoy facing any lineup. I have a lot of challenges, a lot of lefty bats in there. I'm excited."

With Zimmerman pitching Wednesday, right-hander Dan Haren will now pitch Thursday's makeup game. In his last three starts, Haren is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA.

"You have to take it in stride. Today was pretty much an off-day anyway. You get so many off-days in a season. ... At least they called it early, so we can just relax," Haren said.

Had the Nationals played Tuesday, outfielder Jayson Werth was not going to be in the lineup because of the wet turf. Werth missed the three-game series against the Pirates because of a tight right hamstring.

If the field is dry Wednesday, there is a good chance Werth could play, according to manager Davey Johnson.

"He had his doctor put him through all kinds of tests. His hamstring is not pulled. He feels pretty good about that," Johnson said. "But I would not run him out there on this field. So he will have to wait until tomorrow."

Werth hurt the hamstring and his left ankle on April 29 against the Braves. He played last Thursday in Atlanta, but was taken out after the fourth inning.