Stephen Strasburg will start the second game of the season for the Nationals at the Braves, a switch from the team's original plan.

Nationals manager Dusty Baker had said during spring training that Gio Gonzalez would pitch Game 2 in Atlanta on Wednesday. Strasburg had been scheduled to pitch Thursday for the Nationals Park home opener against the Marlins.

"We changed it around," Baker said before Washington's exhibition finale on Saturday against the Twins.