Connelly Early (elbow) was charged with three runs over one inning in a minor league rehab start for Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.

It seems unlikely that Early, who threw 35 pitches (23 strikes) in his first rehab outing, will make his Nationals debut during the final week of the season, but the fact that he’ll enter the offseason with a clean bill of health is the best-case scenario. The 24-year-old southpaw came over from the Red Sox in the Curtis Mead trade back in late July. He figures to open next season in Washington’s rotation.