Stephen Strasburg has got to be sick of getting shut down, but at least this time there was a good reason. The Washington Nationals‘ ace has been placed on the 15-day Disabled List after he missed a scheduled bullpen session due to a strained muscle in his back.
Strasburg reportedly fought through the pain in his preview few starts, saying his lat muscle was tight during warmups but “felt fine” once the games started. He was grimacing and looked very uncomfortable, especially around his should, and was pulled after just two innings in his last start on Friday against the Atlanta Braves.
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Strasburg has been good but his 3-5 record suggests he’s not quite as dominant as he was last season when the Nats decided to shut him down before the playoffs even began following the right-hander’s Tommy John surgery. So naturally, the team is now taking extreme caution with its superstar to ensure his long-term health.
Although the injury is called a “slight strain” to Strasburg’s lat muscle, it still doesn’t bode well for the former No. 1 overall pick, whose 2.54 ERA is the lowest of his career except for the 2011 season in which he only pitched five games. Now on the DL, Strasburg joins fellow Nationals starter Ross Detwiler, who has been out since May 15 with a strained oblique muscle.
Sitting at .500 after 58 games, are the Nationals in trouble without Strasburg healthy? Comment below and let us know.
