Nationals' Strasburg in line to return to rotation on Saturday

Stephen Strasburg appears ready to return to the Washington Nationals rotation and is on course to start Saturday's home game against the Colorado Rockies.

Nationals manager Matt Williams said he's holding off on making an official announcement until he sees how Strasburg feels after going through drills Thursday.

"We’ll have a better idea after he’s done with that," Williams told reporters before Thursday's series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He felt OK coming out of (Tuesday’s) bullpen, so we have to make sure that he’s good today and then we can decide for sure. But his day certainly falls on Saturday.”

Strasburg turned in an overpowering performance during his second rehab start at Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, striking out 11 while allowing two runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick has had two stints on the DL this season. He won his first two starts in impressive fashion in late June after missing nearly a month but suffered a strained left oblique on July 4.

(h/t CSNWashington.com)