Stomach pain postpones Garcia's throwing session

VIERA, Fla. -- Nationals pitcher Christian Garcia did not throw his scheduled batting-practice session on Wednesday, and planned to see a doctor for a stomach ailment that kept him out of action.

Garcia said he had been experiencing a "pain that comes and goes, kind of like a strong cramp," and was going to get tests after the team's workout. He said the sharp pain would hit him every few hours, and he was also experiencing it Tuesday.

"I've never felt anything like it," Garcia said.

Reliever Ryan Mattheus also missed a few days of action this week because of illness. Manager Davey Johnson, who suffered appendix issues earlier in his career, was concerned that may be the case for Garcia.

Garcia said he was also feeling some discomfort in his right wrist, but said that's not something he or the club is concerned about.

"It's not typical," Garcia said of his wrist. "I've never had it, but the important stuff here [his elbow] and here [shoulder], that feels 100 percent. It's early, hopefully a couple days and I can be back at it."

General manager Mike Rizzo echoed Garcia's thoughts, saying the team is not overly concerned with the pitcher's ailments. Johnson said they're planning to play it by ear as far as when Garcia can throw next.

"Depending on what's wrong with him there, and when he comes back and if he's fresh, he won't get to throw BP unless he has a miraculous recovery and can throw BP tomorrow, so we'll play that by ear," Johnson said.