Kelley (neck) allowed a leadoff home run but rebounded to strike out two over an inning in his first rehab appearance Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse, Eric Gallanty of Spec Sports New York reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kelley threw 19 pitches in the outing, 12 of which went for strikes. The fact that he was able to recover after a poor first batter was a good sign that he'll be able to return to the Nationals soon. Expect him to be activated at some point in the first week of August.

Kelley (neck) will begin his rehab assignment Saturday with Triple-A Syracuse, The Washington Post's Jorge Castillo reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kelley felt good after completing a simulated game Wednesday, and is set to start a multi-game rehab assignment for Syracuse. Following his outing Saturday, Kelley will rest for a couple days and then toe the rubber once more. If all goes well, the right-hander could return to the Nationals after his second contest.

Kelley (neck) will throw a simulated game Wednesday, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kelley appears to be progressing well in his rehab program, as this is the first time he'll be exposed to "game situations." If all goes well with Wednesday's outing, he could head out on a rehab assignment within the next week.

Kelley (neck) threw a bullpen session Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The mound session was Kelley's second since he resumed throwing earlier this month. He says he feels 100 percent again, but he still needs some time to further build up his arm strength before heading out on a rehab assignment. Chances are, Kelley won't be in the closer mix upon his eventual return as the Nationals recently added Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson at the back end.

Kelley (neck) resumed throwing on flat ground Friday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kelley was shut down from throwing earlier in the week, but he apparently is feeling well enough to get back on track with his throwing program. He had progressed to throwing long toss prior to the setback, so it's not out of the realm of possibility for him to return prior to the end of the month.

Kelley (neck) was shut down from throwing due to lingering neck pain, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

This is a tough break for Kelley, who had progressed to long tossing last week before his neck issue acted up again. He is scheduled to see team doctors Monday to assess his options, after which there could be a clearer idea of when he'll be able to pick up his throwing program again.

Kelley (neck) was able to take part in long toss prior to Monday's game against the Cubs, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kelley could advance to the next phase of the rehab process and throw off a mound in the coming days, but it's not looking like he'll be activated from the disabled list at any point this week. Once the Nationals deem Kelley fit to pitch in games, he may be in store for lower-leverage work after laboring through his first 22 appearances of the season. He's already allowed nine home runs in just 18 innings, which has kept his ERA at a bloated 7.00.

Kelley was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right trapezius strain Sunday, Dan Kolko of MASN Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kelley has struggled during the month of June, surrendering five earned runs over his four innings of relief. His ineffectiveness may be attributable to the neck spasms he's recently been experiencing which could be affecting his velocity. The Nationals have decided to send the 33-year-old reliever to the disabled list to allow his neck issue ample time to heal. He'll be eligible to return from the DL as soon as June 27.

Kelley is dealing with neck spasms that could be affecting his velocity, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kelley served up another longball Friday evening, leading manager Dusty Baker to investigate the matter a bit further. It turns out there is an injury causing some of the problems the reliever has had, although it's unclear if he'll require a DL stint because of it. More details should come forth as he's examined further, but this could mean that Kelley could be unavailable for the next few days.

Kelley allowed a solo home run to Jay Bruce in the ninth inning of Friday's win over the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran reliever came in to protect a 7-1 lead and wasn't able to finish things off unscathed. Kelley has now been tagged for an incredible nine homers in just 18 innings on the season, fueling a brutal 7.00 ERA, and his current low-leverage role in the Nats bullpen should further discourage fantasy GMs from having him on their active roster.