Although the Washington Nationals added starting pitcher Max Scherzer in the offseason, Stephen Strasburg is a key member of the team’s starting rotation and an expected front-line starter. Losing him is one of the last things the team needs, but Strasburg suffered a shoulder injury Tuesday in a 2-1 loss to the visiting Miami Marlins.
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Strasburg Exits Early vs. Marlins
Tuesday
ESPN.com reported that the team removed Strasburg from the game after three innings of work due to a shoulder injury. Dan Kolko of MASN reported that the issue is under Strasburg’s shoulder blade, according to manager Matt Williams, and that the pitcher will be evaluated by the chiropractor Wednesday.
Strasburg added after the game, per Mark Zuckerman of CSN, that “The best way I can put it: You’re driving a car fast over speed bumps. The irritation kind of rattles the cage a little bit.”
When fans see “Strasburg” and “injury” in the same sentence, most will think back to his elbow injury and subsequent Tommy John surgery in 2010. They’ll also remember the Nationals’ decision to shut down Strasburg in 2012 ahead of the playoffs.
Since then, though, the 26-year-old has been a model of consistency, making a combined 64 starts over the past two seasons. He’s also shown few lingering effects from his elbow injury, making the All-Star Game in 2012 and finishing ninth in the National League Cy Young Award voting in 2014.
Washington looks to be one of the stronger teams in the NL, despite its rocky 13-15 start, and Strasburg is a somewhat significant reason for that. He’s in the prime of his career and part of arguably the best rotation in baseball.
The Nationals’ World Series hopes don’t rest solely on a healthy Strasburg, but there’s no question that having him on the mound would put them in a good position to exorcise those postseason demons from 2012.
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