Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg leaves start with presumed injury
By Jason Evans
In a sight that the Washington Nationals have seen all too often, Stephen Strasburg left his start vs the Arizona Diamondbacks with an injury
The Washington Nationals are currently cruising toward another National League East division title. It’s not about the regular season for this franchise. It’s about the playoffs, as they have never made the NLCS in franchise history.
All-Star starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg has been a big part of the reason why they are where they are this year, but like so many times before, it appears the right-hander may be injured as he exited his start today against the Arizona Diamondbacks after just two innings pitched.
Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg exited today’s game vs. the D-backs in the 3rd inning with an apparent injury. https://t.co/QFEDxrGYb6
— MLB (@MLB) July 23, 2017
Watch below as Strasburg appears to shake his throwing arm following a pitch.
This could be when the injury to the #Nationals' Strasburg occurred. pic.twitter.com/Ccljkrwph0
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) July 23, 2017
The 28-year-old thus far this season, is 10-3 with a 3.31 ERA and made his second consecutive All-Star team this season. Strasburg has made 30 or more starts just twice in his career and reached the 200 inning plateau just once. Strasburg is in the first year of a seven year extension he signed with the Nationals that will give him $175 million. He has opt-outs after 2019 and 2020 if he wishes to do so.
For the Nationals, this could be another blow for a team that has lost Adam Eaton and Joe Ross for the season with injuries and Trea Turner and Jayson Werth for a significant amount of time already. A big part of the Nationals success this season has been the combination of Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez at the top of the rotation because of the struggles of Tanner Roark this year.
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They upgraded their bullpen already, acquiring Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson with a trade earlier this month. With eight days to go before the MLB trade deadline, a Strasburg injury could mean they go hunting for a starting pitcher. With a depleted farm system due to trades, would the potentially cash in their big prospect chips for Yu Darvish or Sonny Gray if Strasburg is lost for a significant period of time? To the Nationals benefit, it happened now, instead of September 23.
If Strasburg is lost for a while, they might just have to make a big trade.