Stephen Strasburg set to ‘put his balls on the line' and start Game 4 for Nationals

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Well this keeps getting crazier.

The Washington Nationals are going to roll with Stephen Strasburg as their Game 4 starter.

Immediately after Tuesday's game was rained out, Nationals manager Dusty Baker announced his team would still start Illinois native Tanner Roark in Game 4 as planned, even though Strasburg would be on regular rest to go Wednesday.

However, Strasburg was feeling under the weather and the Nationals initially chose to roll with the guy who is 100 percent — Roark — instead of a sick Strasburg.

The Nationals co-ace has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since the All-Star Break and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Cubs in Game 1 before ultimately coming up short in a 3-0 Cubs win.

Now, with their backs against the wall and facing elimination, the Nationals are apparently turning back to Strasburg. 

Washington GM Mike Rizzo was on the Sports Junkies radio show earlier Wednesday morning and defended his player and team for the initial decision they made, also saying Strasburg was "attempting to put his balls on the line."

"Yeah, he wanted to pitch," Rizzo said. "What he told Mike Maddux was he'll give us everything he has. He's not sure how much that is and how long he can go."

The Cubs official Twitter account had a brilliant reaction to the Nationals' bait-and-switch:

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