Nats pick Strasburg to pitch Game 1

Stephen Strasburg will start Game 1 of Washington’s NL Division Series against the Chicago Cubs, and Nationals manager Dusty Baker said before Thursday’s workout that the team still hadn’t decided whether Max Scherzer would pitch in Game 2. Scherzer, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, tweaked his right hamstring during his last regularseason start. Either he or lefty Gio Gonzalez will start Game 2, and the other will get Game 3.

“A lot of it depends on our evaluation of Scherzer,” Baker said.

For the second day in a row, Scherzer threw on flat ground in the outfield but did not go through a bullpen session off a mound, which starters usually do two or three days before a game.

Plan

Baker had said Tuesday that the plan was for Scherzer to test his leg in the bullpen Wednesday; on Thursday, Baker again said Scherzer would have a bullpen session.

“When you have a nagging injury, every day is important for our trainers to evaluate it, put hands on him, and see if he’s still sore or if he’s feeling great,” Baker said.

It was Gonzalez who was on the bullpen mound Thursday. Baker said the Nationals would pick a Game 2 starter before the NLDS opens Friday night in Washington. Game 2 is Saturday, and the series shifts to Wrigley Field for Game 3 on Monday.

Because of days off in the schedule, whoever pitches in Game 2 could be available on regular rest to start Game 5, if there is one.