The playoff legend of Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg continues to grow.
Strasburg dominated the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of the NLCS on Monday night, tossing seven innings and striking out 12 to give the Nationals a 3-0 stranglehold on the series.
The former No. 1 overall pick also became just the second pitcher in MLB history (joining Cardinals legend Bob Gibson) to post two postseason outings with 12-plus strikeouts and 0 earned runs allowed:
Last night was Stephen Strasburg's second postseason game with 12+ Ks and 0 ERs.
The only pitchers in MLB Postseason history to do that twice are Strasburg and Bob Gibson https://t.co/Njdbn5onUb pic.twitter.com/YzBQXiKnyO
— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) October 15, 2019
Stephen Strasburg's first playoff outing with 12-plus Ks and zero earned runs came in Game 4 of the 2017 NLDS against the Chicago Cubs.
Tuesday night already marked the fourth appearance for Strasburg during this postseason. He provided three innings of scoreless relief during the NL Wild Card Game while also making a pair of starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.
Strasburg's career ERA in the playoffs dropped to 1.10 after his outing in Game 3, which is the third-lowest mark in MLB history:
Stephen Strasburg's 1.10 ERA is the 3rd-lowest in #postseason history (min. 6 starts).
He trails only Sandy Koufax (0.95) and Christy Mathewson (1.06). pic.twitter.com/cZ5uRHqhwB
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 15, 2019
The Nationals are on the doorstep of MLB history, needing just one win to advance to the World Series. However, there are plenty of questions surrounding Strasburg's future.
Washington signed the right-hander to a seven-year contract extension in 2016, but he can opt out on the remaining four years and $100 million left on the deal after this season.
Given the way he has pitched this season, Strasburg is likely to be rewarded with a very handsome payday should he elect to enter the market as a free agent.
For now, however, baseball fans should appreciate the stoic dominance Stephen Strasburg has brought to the mound for the Nationals this October.
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