MIAMI -- The Miami Marlins are getting a key player back from the injured list on Monday, although its virtually too late for their playoff chances.The Washington Nationals (88-61) are also trying to get healthy.But the big difference is that the National League East-leading Nationals, who open a three-game series at Marlins Park on Monday, are a sure-fire playoff club and the health status of their players truly matters.Key among those players is right-hander Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 3.60 ERA), who has been out with an elbow injury he suffered on Sept. 7. Strasburg tossed a ball -- lightly -- this weekend for the first time since he got hurt.Strasburg, who has already tied a career high this season with his 15 wins, is needed at the top of the rotation if the Nationals can realistically be expected to make a postseason run.The 28-year-old Strasburg has a 1.10 WHIP, and batters are hitting just .218 against him.While waiting for Strasburg, the Nationals got good news on Sunday when right-hander Joe Ross came off the disabled list.The 23-year-old Ross, who hadnt pitched since July 2 because of a shoulder injury, allowed five hits and one run in three innings against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. He struck out five.Hes sort of on a spring training schedule right now, Nationals manager Dusty Baker told media members in Atlanta. Lets see how his arm feels before we increase his workload.While Strasburg recuperates and Ross works on getting extended, Washington will start right-hander A.J. Cole (1-2, 4.71) at Miami. It will be his first career start against the Marlins.As for the Marlins (74-75), left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (5-4, 4.99) is set to return off the disabled list to start Mondays game. This will be Chens first appearance since July 20 when he sprained his left elbow.Chen, who replaces rookie Jake Esch in the rotation and moves ace Jose Fernandez back one extra day, will likely be restricted by a pitch count, somewhere around 80.Meanwhile, Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who suffered a severe groin injury on Aug. 13, returned as a pinch hitter on Sept. 6. On Friday at the Philadelphia Phillies, he played the field for the first time since his injury.Stanton is expected to be back as a starter on Monday as the Marlins are being careful not to overwork him.In Fridays game, he batted second in the order for the first time since 2008, when he played for Class A Greensboro.The reason he hit second was that Marlins manager Don Mattingly, who restricted Stanton to six innings in what became a 4-3 loss in 13 innings, wanted his slugger to get as many at-bats as possible while he was out there.Stanton went 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored before being replaced by Ichiro Suzuki.Were not out of it, Stanton told media members in Philadelphia this past weekend when asked about the playoff race. Its not going to be easy, but the opportunity is there. As long as I can help, thats what Im here for.Despite Stantons claims, the Marlins were officially eliminated from NL East title contention on Saturday, and their chances of securing a wild-card playoff berth are less than one percent, according to projections.In other storylines:-- Nationals rookie center fielder Trea Turner, a converted shortstop who was the San Diego Padres first-round pick in 2014, continues to be on a remarkable roll.On Saturday, he became the first player in franchise history to post four hits, two steals and score four runs in one game. He is hitting .355 for the season.-- Nationals star right fielder Bryce Harper, a four-time All-Star and an NL MVP last year, had been hitless in his past 17 at-bats before getting a single in his final at-bat on Sunday. He is batting .243 this season.-- The Marlins probably regret not trading for Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson when they had the chance -- according to reports -- at the deadline in July. Hellickson beat the Marlins with a three-hit shutout on Saturday and is 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA in six starts against Miami this season.Instead of Hellickson, the Marlins traded away their top hitting prospect and a possible future closer to get right-hander Andrew Cashner, who has been a disaster with Miami. He has a 5.27 ERA this season and lasted just four innings on Sunday, allowing three runs.Hellickson, who is 12-9 this year with a 3.57 ERA, is a free agent after this season. Perhaps the Marlins can acquire him this winter to make up for their non-move on him in July. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic UK . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Cheap NFL Jerseys UK . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. http://www.cheapjerseysuk.com/ . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. Hockey Jerseys UK . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. Cheap NCAA Jerseys UK . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning.ARDMORE, Pa. - Tiger Woods said his left wrist was fine. Its his game that was hurting him Thursday in the U.S. Open. Woods finished only 10 holes in the rain-delayed first round at Merion, spending far too much time trying to gouge out of the thick rough with a wedge. On at least four occasions, he was either flexing or shaking his left hand after the forceful shots. He was 2-over par when play was suspended because of darkness, leaving him about a 4-foot par putt on the 11th hole when he returns at 7:15 a.m. Friday. It was probably a good time for Woods to stop. He pulled his tee shot with an iron well left of the 11th fairway, and only the thick grass kept it from going into the creek. He took another powerful hack out of the rough to clear the winding creek that fronts the green, and then played a flop shot from the rough to 4 feet. When a USGA official mentioned that his wrist appeared to be a problem, Woods replied, "Its fine." With a better forecast the rest of the week, Woods will play 25 full holes on Friday and try to make up ground on the leaders. Phil Mickelson completed his round of 67, while Luke Donald was at 4-under and approaching the difficult, fivee-hole finish.dddddddddddd "Ive got a lot of holes to play tomorrow," Woods said. "And hopefully, I can play a little better than I did today." Woods has gone five years without winning a major, though his four PGA Tour wins in eight starts indicates that his game is in good shape. As hes done in other majors, Woods began with poor tee shot that found the rough on the gentle, opening hole at Merion. He grimaced after digging into the gnarly rough to hack out to the fairway and started with a bogey. The key to Merion is to hang on for the opening six holes, take advantage of the short stretch of holes in the middle, and try not to give back shots at the end. After that six-hole start, Woods had one par, two birdies and three bogeys. Two of the bogeys came from poor chip shots from just off the green at No. 3 and No. 5. What saved him was a 50-foot birdie putt on the sixth hole. But he failed to convert birdie chances on the seventh, eighth and 10th holes — all of them under 400 yards — and he three-putted the 237-yard ninth hole from about 65 feet to drop another shot. "Its going to be a fast night," Woods said as he left the course. ' ' '