The Washington Nationals were ecstatic to get ace Stephen Strasburg back in the rotation last week after a long absence from the veteran right-hander. Strasburg had just made his return to MLB action after more than a year away from the game while recovering from thoracic outlet surgery. It was a rough first start for Strasburg, who surrendered 7 runs, but now things have been made even worse for the Nationals.
According to Jessica Camerato, the Nationals' ace experienced some discomfort during a bullpen session over the weekend and will be placed back on the 15-day IL.
Stephen Strasburg experienced discomfort after throwing his bullpen session on Saturday. He is undergoing an MRI today, and he will be placed on the IL and not start tomorrow.
— Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) June 13, 2022
Strasburg was scheduled to take the mound again on Tuesday for his second start of the year in a home matchup against the Atlanta Braves, but that will no longer be the case following his latest setback. It's unclear precisely how long the Nationals expect to be without Strasburg this time around, though you can expect the team to continue to exercise caution when it comes to the 33-year-old.
Over the past three seasons, injuries have derailed Strasburg's career. He signed a seven-year, $245 million extension with the Nationals after the 2019 season, in which they won the World Series. Since signing that contract, Strasburg has pitched a total of 31.1 innings, registering a 6.89 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 17 walks in that span.
The Nationals were hoping that Strasburg undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery would help keep him off the IL, yet after just one start upon his return, the hard-throwing right-hander has landed back on the shelf. Expect the team to provide a more thorough update on Strasburg's status and timetable after he undergoes further testing, but this is a very discouraging sign for the Nats.
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