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Wang to start for Nationals on Friday
Chien-Ming Wang will start Friday night against the Mets, the right-hander's
first big-league appearance in more than two years, the Nationals announced
Sunday evening.
The announcement came hours after Wang made his sixth (and final)
minor-league rehab start, allowing five runs and eight hits over five innings
for Class AAA Syracuse against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It was by far the
31-year-old's least-effective start during his month-long rehab assignment,
and it perhaps raised some questions about his readiness to face big-league
hitters, but the Nationals don't have the ability to keep him in the minors
any longer.
Pitchers are allowed only 30 days on rehab assignments before they must
either come off the disabled list, establish they've suffered a new injury or
otherwise be removed off the franchise's roster. Wang's assignment ends on
Wednesday, and because he's out of minor-league options and has been deemed
healthy, he would have to be released if not activated.
A two-time 19-game winner with the Yankees in 2006-07, Wang hasn't pitched in
the major leagues since July 4, 2009. He underwent surgery later that year to
repair a torn capsule in his shoulder, a major injury that derailed his
career and left his ultimate return questionable.
The Nationals took a chance on the Taiwanese pitcher in February 2010,
signing him for $2 million under the assumption he'd be ready to return to
action within a couple of months. Wang, though, never made it out of Viera,
Fla., last season, never able to pitch in a regular-season game at any level
of the organization.
Having seen some signs of progress last fall, though, general manager Mike
Rizzo decided to give Wang one more shot, signing him to a $1 million
contract that includes up to $4 million in performance incentives. He
advanced to the point he could begin facing minor-league competition late
last month, so the club sent him on his much-awaited rehab assignment.
Wang made six starts for four Nationals affiliates (Hagerstown, Potomac,
Harrisburg and Syracuse) and posted a combined 3.14 ERA over 28 2/3 innings.
He allowed 28 hits, striking out 17 while walking only four. His fastball
regularly sat in the high-80s, though he did reach 90 mph on occasion.
With Wang coming off the DL, the Nationals will need to clear a spot in their
rotation. They don't have to make a decision until Wang's 30 days are up on
Wednesday, at which point they could pull off a trade of a veteran starter
such as Jason Marquis. They also could bump left-hander Tom Gorzelanny (who
allowed five runs over three innings Saturday night in Los Angeles) to the
bullpen.
第一场对上梅子!