The Washington Nationals announced that Monday night’s starter Stephen Strasburg has been scratched and placed on the 15-day DL with elbow soreness.
Stephen Strasburg was scheduled to start for the Washington Nationals on Monday night against the Baltimore Orioles, but was placed on the 15-day disabled list with elbow soreness instead. Right-hander A.J. Cole was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and will make the start in Strasburg’s place.
Strasburg, who signed a seven-year/$175MM extension with the Nationals in May, had an injury-filled season in 2015 and was only able to pitch 127 innings—his lowest since 2011, and had already been on the disabled list this season with an upper back strain. The back injury caused him to miss two starts in June and he returned to the Nationals’ rotation in early July. Joel Sherman of the Daily News tweeted that the elbow issue isn’t structural and that the Nationals are just being proactive. They want Strasburg ready for the stretch run and for the playoffs. Still, there has to be some concern when the player experiencing elbow soreness has already gone through Tommy John surgery like Strasburg did in 2010.
Strasburg started the year 13-0 and didn’t lose his first decision until July 21 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since that loss, he’s gone 2-3—0-3 in his last three starts. His worst start out of those three was the last one he made against the Rockies in Colorado on August 17. Strasburg only lasted one and 2/3 innings and gave up nine runs on nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches and it was his shortest outing of the season.
Even after that loss, Nationals manager Dusty Baker, pitching coach Mike Maddux and even Strasburg himself were denying that Strasburg was injured.
Right now, the Nationals are comfortably leading the National League East standings by 8 1/2 games over the Miami Marlins, and have done well with both Strasburg missing time and Bryce Harper not playing up to his usual standards. Maybe this is just a matter of trying to get Strasburg right for the playoffs. If it’s not, and the injury causes more issues for the right hander, the Nationals may be looking at another quick playoff exit.