Cubs Vs. Nationals: Stephen Strasburg Will Pitch Game 4 For Washington

CHICAGO, IL — Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg will now start against the Chicago Cubs in Game 4 on Wednesday of the National League Division Series. The decision comes after Nats manager Dusty Baker said Tuesday that the right-hander was feeling under the weather and couldn't start in the possible elimination game at Wrigley Field. Tanner Roark, a native of Wilmington, Illinois, had been the expected starter.

Speculation swirled around whether Strasburg would start Game 4 following Tuesday's rain out. With the game rescheduled to Wednesday, the 29-year-old All-Star would be able to start on normal four-day rest. In Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday, Strasburg struck out 10 and allowed just three hits and no earned runs in the Nationals' 3-0 loss.

But in his press conference after the game was officially postponed, Baker said he was staying with Roark for Game 4, because Strasburg wasn't feeling well. An anonymous source with "direct knowledge of the Nationals' pitching plans" told USA Today, however, that it was Strasburg who informed the coaching staff he couldn't pitch Wednesday. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Lake View and Chicago — or other neighborhoods. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

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Strasburg had been battling a fever, chills, "acute sinusitis" and other flu-like symptoms for the past few days, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday. Doctors were aggressively treating the pitcher with a regimen of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and fluid IVs, which he received Tuesday night and Wednesday, according to Rizzo.

The Nationals' decision to stick with Roark stood until Wednesday morning following a change in Strasburg's treatment, Rizzo said.

"Then as of today, we switched Stras's antibiotics, gave him a higher dose, IV fluids throughout the evening, and this morning he felt much more like Stephen Strasburg," he said. "So he came into the clubhouse and went to the manager's office and said that 'I want to start this game.'

"The fact that he was much more like the real Stephen Strasburg, we felt that that Stephen Strasburg gave us a much better chance to win Game 4. And that's it."

With Strasburg now on the mound to start, Cubs manager Joe Maddon changed his lineup in response to the move. Veteran outfielder Jason Heyward will now start, replacing slugger Kyle Schwarber.

The Cubs lead the best-of-five NLDS, 2-1. A victory would advance Chicago to the NL Championship Series, and the team would face the Los Angeles Dodgers, who swept the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday in their playoff series.

The first pitch for Game 4 is scheduled for 3:08 p.m.

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday, Oct. 6, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais | Associated Press)

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