Lopez appears to be the leading candidate to be recalled to start Saturday's game against the Giants.
He tossed a shutout with seven strikeouts on July 24 for Triple-A Syracuse, so he could take the ball Saturday with a couple extra days of rest. Lucas Giolito could also be an option, as he last pitched July 24 for the Nationals and has since been optioned to Triple-A. Lopez has proven that he is capable of racking up strikeouts against big league hitters, punching out nine in 4.2 innings in his lone start in the majors earlier this month. However, his command needs a lot of refinement, making him a high-risk/high-reward option if he does indeed take the ball for the Nationals on Saturday.