CHICAGO – Josiah Gray is ready to pitch in a competitive game for the first time since his Tommy John surgery more than a year ago.

The Nationals right-hander has been cleared to depart West Palm Beach, Fla., and will make a rehab start Sunday for Single-A Wilmington, his first game action in more than 14 months. He’s scheduled for two innings and 30-35 pitches.

It’s a long-awaited development for Gray, the Nats’ Opening Day 2024 starter who made only two big league appearances last year before going on the injured list with a flexor strain in his forearm. He made it back to start five minor league games on a rehab assignment early in the summer and appeared on the verge of rejoining the major league staff when he suffered a setback in his June 30 outing for Triple-A Rochester. An MRI revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament, and he underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure July 24, 2024.

Gray knew at that point he would at best have a shot at returning before end of the 2025 season, and he expressed optimism earlier this summer during a stop at Nationals Park he would be able to pitch in the majors sometime in September.

Time is running out for that to happen, but if Gray makes it through Sunday’s two innings with no issues and is able to build up his arm in a couple more rehab starts, it’s possible the Nats would decide to activate him for a cameo appearance during the season’s final week.

Whether that happens or not, the 27-year-old is expected to enter 2026 healthy and ready to be part of the Nationals' rotation.

“As of right now, we just want to make sure that he’s recovering the right way and that his arm is recovering good,” interim manager Miguel Cairo said. “You want to go into the offseason not doing rehab. You want to do a complete workout, being ready for spring training.”

* MRI results on Jarlin Susana revealed a right lat strain, a relatively encouraging but still significant development for the top pitching prospect who was placed on the 7-day IL by Double-A Harrisburg earlier this week.

Susana was pulled from his last start in the second inning, having allowed three runs while walking three batters. His initial symptoms were described as right triceps soreness, but the Nationals scheduled an MRI to get an official diagnosis. That test revealed a strain of the latissimus dorsi muscle, which connects to the triceps near the armpit.

There was some concern about a more serious arm injury, given the fact Susana already missed time earlier this season with a Grade 1 sprain of his elbow ligament.

Susana will meet with medical staff to review his options, but it's unlikely he would be cleared to return to pitch this season, and he could still face a significant recovery period over the winter. The 21-year-old, whose fastball regularly surpasses 100 mph, went 1-4 with a 3.51 ERA in 14 combined starts between Wilmington and Harrisburg, striking out 95 batters in only 56 1/3 innings.

* MacKenzie Gore made the trip with his teammates and will continue his strengthening and throwing progression. The left-hander went on the 15-day IL on Aug. 30, three days after his most recent start, with shoulder inflammation. The All-Star and Opening Day starter was cleared to resume throwing within days, and he has said he hopes to return to pitch before season’s end.

* Jacob Young, who departed Tuesday’s game against the Marlins with back spasms, was receiving treatment this morning, but Cairo was hopeful he’d be able to come off the bench and play center field today if needed. If not, Young would be a candidate to start Saturday’s game against Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd.

* Keibert Ruiz is scheduled to catch seven innings for Harrisburg tonight, the first time he will have caught back-to-back games since beginning his rehab assignment earlier in the week. On the 7-day concussion IL since early July, Ruiz will serve as the Senators’ DH on Saturday and then catch all nine innings Sunday, provided he experiences no setbacks.

* Infielder Darren Baker, who was designated for assignment Wednesday when the Nationals needed to clear a 40-man roster spot for recently claimed pitcher Sauryn Lao, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Rochester.