Patterson To Rest Arm A Bit Longer

Right-hander John Patterson won't pitch again for the Washington Nationals until May 18, at the earliest, after the club decided it wanted to allow him more rest for his strained right forearm in hopes the stiffness he is experiencing will go away for good.

Patterson, who hasn't pitched since April 21 against Atlanta, was scheduled to make a rehabilitation start tonight at Class A Potomac, but now won't pitch until Saturday. Where he will start hasn't been determined.

"It's not getting worse," Patterson said. "But the soreness isn't going away. . . . I'm fine throwing the ball, but I can still feel it in my arm. But it's not keeping me from doing anything. There's still some in there, so they want to give it a little bit of extra time."

Tim Abraham, the Nationals' head athletic trainer, said the injury isn't structural damage in Patterson's arm, and the solution is rest.

"There's no indication for any type of surgery," Abraham said. "It's completely muscular."

The injury, though, is frustrating for Patterson (1-0, 3.86 ERA) and the club. Before he went on the disabled list on April 28, Patterson was bordering on dominant in his previous two starts, striking out 21 and walking just one. The injury isn't considered major, but it still will cost Patterson nearly a month. He is on the disabled list for the third consecutive season.

"I'd really like to be pitching," Patterson said. "But it's the right move."

Majewski Has Tendinitis

Reliever Gary Majewski admitted last week to having severe confidence problems to start this year, one in which he has struggled with his location. Now, though, the club has diagnosed tendinitis in his right shoulder. He hasn't pitched since last Wednesday. Both he and Abraham said he was available to pitch yesterday.

Majewski said he first felt the problem two or three weeks ago.

"I came back from the [World Baseball Classic] and fired it up pretty quick," he said. "The first week of the season, [I] threw quite a bit, and tried to go too hard too quick. Just like anything else -- you overwork it and it's not ready, something's going to go wrong." . . .

Marlon Byrd's third-inning single was his first hit at home this year, snapping an 0-for-17 drought. . . . The Nationals' off day today is a rarity because part of it is spent at home. Still, the players will depart RFK Stadium for Cincinnati at 3 p.m. Their first off day between two home series is July 24.