DENVER — Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez was cleared by Dr. Bill Meyers after visiting him for a second opinion in Philadelphia and he took batting practice today with Single-A Hagerstown. Rodriguez, who has been on the disabled list since July 7 with a strained right oblique, will then be examined by the trainers and they will reevaluate his status at that point.
If all goes well, it is possible that Rodriguez could catch Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, making his first rehab start since September 2010 Tommy John surgery, on Sunday.
Rodriguez has not been with the Nationals since he departed for Miami on July 24 to work with his personal physical therapist after having to cut back a batting practice session and continuing to feel tightness in a difficult healing area.
If Rodriguez is able to begin his rehab assignment Sunday, along with Strasburg, and catch the phenom’s two-innings, it would be oddly symmetrical for the two. Last year, Rodriguez was on the disabled list with a back strain and was activated just in time to catch Strasburg’s major league debut on June 8.
