Major League Baseball

Marlins face Nationals clinging to slim playoff hopes

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

MIAMI -- The Miami Marlins are getting a key player back from the injured list on Monday, although it's virtually too late for their playoff chances.

The Washington Nationals (88-61) are also trying to get healthy.

But the big difference is that the National League East-leading Nationals, who open a three-game series at Marlins Park on Monday, are a sure-fire playoff club and the health status of their players truly matters.

Key among those players is right-hander Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 3.60 ERA), who has been out with an elbow injury he suffered on Sept. 7. Strasburg tossed a ball -- lightly -- this weekend for the first time since he got hurt.

Strasburg, who has already tied a career high this season with his 15 wins, is needed at the top of the rotation if the Nationals can realistically be expected to make a postseason run.

The 28-year-old Strasburg has a 1.10 WHIP, and batters are hitting just .218 against him.

While waiting for Strasburg, the Nationals got good news on Sunday when right-hander Joe Ross came off the disabled list.

The 23-year-old Ross, who hadn't pitched since July 2 because of a shoulder injury, allowed five hits and one run in three innings against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. He struck out five.

"He's sort of on a spring training schedule right now," Nationals manager Dusty Baker told media members in Atlanta. "Let's see how his arm feels before we increase his workload."

While Strasburg recuperates and Ross works on getting extended, Washington will start right-hander A.J. Cole (1-2, 4.71) at Miami. It will be his first career start against the Marlins.

As for the Marlins (74-75), left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (5-4, 4.99) is set to return off the disabled list to start Monday's game. This will be Chen's first appearance since July 20 when he sprained his left elbow.

Chen, who replaces rookie Jake Esch in the rotation and moves ace Jose Fernandez back one extra day, will likely be restricted by a pitch count, somewhere around 80.

Meanwhile, Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who suffered a severe groin injury on Aug. 13, returned as a pinch hitter on Sept. 6. On Friday at the Philadelphia Phillies, he played the field for the first time since his injury.

Stanton is expected to be back as a starter on Monday as the Marlins are being careful not to overwork him.

In Friday's game, he batted second in the order for the first time since 2008, when he played for Class A Greensboro.

The reason he hit second was that Marlins manager Don Mattingly, who restricted Stanton to six innings in what became a 4-3 loss in 13 innings, wanted his slugger to get as many at-bats as possible while he was out there.

Stanton went 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored before being replaced by Ichiro Suzuki.

"We're not out of it," Stanton told media members in Philadelphia this past weekend when asked about the playoff race. "It's not going to be easy, but the opportunity is there. As long as I can help, that's what I'm here for."

Despite Stanton's claims, the Marlins were officially eliminated from NL East title contention on Saturday, and their chances of securing a wild-card playoff berth are less than one percent, according to projections.

In other storylines:

-- Nationals rookie center fielder Trea Turner, a converted shortstop who was the San Diego Padres' first-round pick in 2014, continues to be on a remarkable roll.

On Saturday, he became the first player in franchise history to post four hits, two steals and score four runs in one game. He is hitting .355 for the season.

-- Nationals star right fielder Bryce Harper, a four-time All-Star and an NL MVP last year, had been hitless in his past 17 at-bats before getting a single in his final at-bat on Sunday. He is batting .243 this season.

-- The Marlins probably regret not trading for Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson when they had the chance -- according to reports -- at the deadline in July. Hellickson beat the Marlins with a three-hit shutout on Saturday and is 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA in six starts against Miami this season.

Instead of Hellickson, the Marlins traded away their top hitting prospect and a possible future closer to get right-hander Andrew Cashner, who has been a disaster with Miami. He has a 5.27 ERA this season and lasted just four innings on Sunday, allowing three runs.

Hellickson, who is 12-9 this year with a 3.57 ERA, is a free agent after this season. Perhaps the Marlins can acquire him this winter to make up for their non-move on him in July.