Strasburg returns from Triple-A rehab stint

WASHINGTON -- After a successful start with Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, Stephen Strasburg returned to the Nationals on Tuesday to continue his rehab. 

Strasburg has been out since July 5 with a strained left oblique. 

"I felt good," Strasburg said. "My stuff is there, just try to keep doing the same things and working on the stuff I've been doing. It's going in the right direction."

The next step for Strasburg will be a bullpen session, which will likely come on Tuesday, according to manager Matt Williams. 

"Command for his breaking ball was there," Williams said, relaying reports on the former No. 1 overall pick. "Changeup off the fastball was there. And the fastball sat at 95 [mph], 96 and touched 98, so that's all positive things for him moving forward. It means he's feeling good, and he's got no apprehension letting the ball go."

Williams didn't offer insight on plans for Strasburg beyond that, but if the right-hander's next start comes with the Nationals, as is expected, either he or Doug Fister will be moved off schedule.

Fister started for the Nationals on Monday night and had a rough outing, allowing five earned runs in six innings, as his ERA climbed to 4.60.