Extra Rest For Nats After Rainout

After ending their first homestand of the year at 8-2, the Nationals will get an extra day of rest before beginning their West Coast road trip, thanks to Sunday’s rainout.

The team has not announced a makeup date for the game against the Miami Marlins. who are not scheduled to return to Nationals Park until August, when they’re slated to open a three-game set from Friday Aug. 3, through Sunday, Aug. 5. They will also be back in Washington in September for a three-game weekend set  from Sept. 7 through Sept. 9.

Manager Davey Johnson announced he will not alter his pitching rotation, moving Gio Gonzalez‘ scheduled start back to Tuesday against the San Diego Padres, followed by Jordan Zimmermann and Edwin Jackson. Ross Detwiler will start Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Stephen Strasburg will start Saturday.

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman also told mlb.com’s Bill Ladson and other reporters that he expects to return to the lineup on Tuesday after sitting out Saturday night’s game with inflammation in his right shoulder. Zimmerman said the trouble began with several diving plays earlier in the week, and he was scratched from Saturday’s game after the shoulder tightened during batting practice.

Johnson also told Ladson that he remains confident in veteran reliever Brad Lidge, despite the right-hander’s blown save against the Marlins on Saturday. Lidge allowed a leadoff walk to Hanley Ramirez and Logan Morrison‘s game-tying two-run homer in the ninth before the Nats came back to win it in the tenth, 3-2. Johnson said he was more concerned by the walk than the home run. Lidge told Ladson that he’s having problems locating his pitches, and his out pitch, the slider, does not have the velocity that it did in his prime.