"Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez could land on the disabled list after he strained his oblique during batting practice Thursday afternoon. The Nationals will re-evaluate Rodriguez tomorrow, but oblique strains typically require a stint on the disabled list.

"I've never experienced this kind of injury," Rodriguez said. "It's never happened to me. See what happens tomorrow. If tomorrow is not better, we need a catcher. But let's see what happens tomorrow."

Rodriguez, 39, received at least five treatments of ice during the Nationals' 10-9 loss to the Cubs and took pills given to him by the Nationals' training staff. Afterward, Rodriguez struggled to pull on his button-up shirt.

"Not good," Manager Davey Johnson said. "It's a strained oblique. I'm concerned about that. We're going to look at him again tomorrow. He obviously doesn't want to be down and he doesn't want to go on the DL."

During batting practice, Rodriguez felt the strain in his oblique, a muscle on the side of the torso, and immediately walked off the field. "He left the cage, went in, started tearing up things and took off his uniform," Johnson said."