Washington Nationals: Concern over Stephen Strasburg

Stephen Strasburg has been scratched from two consecutive starts with a back issue. Is it time for the Washington Nationals to worry?

Update: Strasburg’s back issues will indeed require a DL stint, as the Nationals announced this afternoon that he has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 16.

Stephen Strasburg has been having one of the best seasons of his career, already on pace to pitch more innings than ever before. It has been great for the Washington Nationals to see their former number one overall pick blossom following the ever dreadful Tommy John surgery, no doubt.

He holds a 10-0 record this season in 93.0 innings pitched. His ERA would be the best of his career at 2.90, as would his K% of 31.9 percent. It was looking like Strasburg would finally become the ace he was always expected to be on a staff that already includes an ace in Max Scherzer. Then the ever present injury bug struck again.

Last Monday Strasburg was set to start against Clayton Kershaw in Los Angeles when he was scratched from his start the day of the game. Strasburg had misplaced a couple ribs during a freak weight lifting accident, but had it fixed by a chiropractor. The ribs had caused Strasburg some breathing issues, but any symptoms in direct relation to the rib injury subsided following his visit to the chiropractor.

However, somehow Strasburg’s back was affected by either the rib injury or the chiropractor’s fix. His general discomfort led to his scratch from the start, but he was expected to make a quick return to the rotation in his next scheduled start.

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His next scheduled start was Sunday against the Brewers, which he was scratched from Saturday after the Nationals fell to the Brewers. While warming up on Saturday, Strasburg’s back flared up once again, which led to Dusty Baker deciding to scratch him from yet another start.

Missing two starts in a row for the same injury would typically warrant a trip to the disabled list, but Dusty Baker was confident that Strasburg was only day-to-day. Luckily for the Nationals, they had a day off during the week and Tanner Roark will start in place of Strasburg in what would normally have been his pitching day anyway. However, it doesn’t seem as though this injury is as mild as Baker is letting on.

Misplacing a couple ribs followed by an upper back injury could indicate a serious issue. I am no doctor, so I cannot provide any medical insight but it’s never good to see a starter get scratched from a start twice in a row. Nationals fans are right to be concerned about the health of the pitcher who has stepped up the most in their rotation to become a very good second option behind Max Scherzer.

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Strasburg is day-to-day, but his injury is certainly concerning. If he is healthy he is one of the best pitchers in the game, but he has struggled at times with different types of injuries. Nationals fans will rightfully be holding their collective breath about Strasburg until he makes his first start following the injury.