WASHINGTON • Billed as center fielder Colby Rasmus' return to the Cardinals lineup, Sunday afternoon instead became a false start.

About 20 minutes before the team's series finale against the Washington Nationals and almost two hours after posting the lineup card, manager Tony La Russa abruptly reversed course and scratched Rasmus, who expected to return to the field after missing 11 consecutive starts with a right calf strain.

The switch was announced at 1:33 p.m., two minutes before the game's first pitch, just as the Nationals were taking the field. La Russa said nothing about a pending move during a pregame briefing while discussing at length Rasmus' potential significance to the lineup. The visiting clubhouse notified media relations manager Melody Yount the move was made for "non-medical" reasons.

Moments after the announcement a source familiar with the situation said La Russa was concerned with pairing Rasmus with plate umpire Rob Drake, something La Russa later denied.

"When a guy's ready, you give him one more day just to have that peace of mind," La Russa said after a 4-2 loss. "We felt like a day game would be a push. You start sweating, dehydrating. He'll be in there tomorrow."

La Russa gave no explanation why he originally listed Rasmus on the lineup card as his No. 6 hitter against Nationals lefthander John Lannan.

Rasmus struck out against reliever Drew Storen in an eighth-inning pinch-hit appearance and later had little comment on the matter except to say, "They're just giving me another day. (We) talked about it and that's what we came up with. I'm good."

La Russa met with Sunday's umpiring crew shortly before the game to receive a "heads up" in the aftermath of Saturday's eighth inning, in which Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan went inside the baseline to elbow catcher Bryan Anderson in the back as he scored.

Morgan, currently appealing a seven-game suspension for throwing a ball at a fan last week in Philadelphia, was called out on the play for being assisted back to the plate by a teammate. Nationals manager Jim Riggleman apologized to La Russa for the incident late Saturday and benched Wilson on Sunday.

"I appreciate the way they handled it," said La Russa, who cut off questions about the matter Saturday night.

Reyes' Return Uncertain

The Cardinals concede they are unlikely to activate lefthanded reliever Dennys Reyes when eligible during the three-game series against the Houston Astros starting tonight.

They would settle for having him available against the lefthanded-heavy Cincinnati Reds this weekend.

Originally scheduled to throw a bullpen session Sunday morning, Reyes instead threw in the outfield and cited "a burning sensation" in his left elbow. Reyes described the sensation as a significant improvement over the discomfort that forced him to the disabled list Aug. 16.

With Trever Miller the team's only available lefthanded reliever, Reyes said he badly wants to be available for the upcoming series against the division leaders.

"I want to be out there. I want to be part of the games," Reyes said. "I'm just waiting for them to give me the green light."

buzz job irks Holliday

Sunday's ninth inning included a lengthy delay after Storen threw behind Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday, an apparent violation of the "heads up" issued by Joe West's crew before the game.

Holliday, the inning's leadoff hitter, stepped toward the mound after a fastball sailed behind his neck. La Russa then argued that pregame instructions demanded the crew take action against Storen. La Russa saw intent since Holliday had singled and doubled earlier in the game. Drake and West saw it as a wild pitch.

Said Holliday: "When a guy throws a ball three feet behind you it doesn't matter what happened before. It's the major leagues. It's 96 and it hits a wall behind you. That doesn't have anything to do with what happened before that."