(Here's my full Strasburg article on CSNwashington.com.)
Stephen Strasburg will not start Sunday, manager Jim Riggleman said this morning.
Strasburg hasn't been placed on the disabled list yet, but could wind up there later this morning. Any move would be retroactive to July 22, the day after he last pitched.
More to come...
UPDATE AT 11:44 A.M. -- It's official: Strasburg has been placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to July 22. Scott Olsen has been activated off the DL in time to start today's game against the Braves.
Strasburg will be eligible to return on August 7, but it sounds like the Nationals will wait until they return home the following week to activate him. So his next start would probably come during the August 10-12 series against the Marlins.
Quotes from Strasburg coming in a couple minutes...
UPDATE AT 11:49 A.M. -- Strasburg spoke briefly in the Nats' clubhouse after being told he was being placed on the DL. Here's the transcript...
Q: How disappointing is it to be placed on the DL?
STRASBURG: It's out of my control, so I'm not really going to worry about it. It's what's best for the team. Obviously, having Miguel Batista as a reliever, we're going to need him out of the bullpen. We can't really rely on him to go out there and start. So it's an obvious reason for it. I'm just going to keep working hard, and when they activate me, I'll be ready to go.
Q: Do you look at this as a good thing because it will give you more time to recover?
STRASBURG: Yeah, I mean they're talking every precaution with me. It's feeling great already. I'm making big strides. I'm just going to keep getting better, keep getting stronger, and when the time comes I'm going to be ready to go.
Q: Will you travel with the team next week or will you stay back here?
STRASBURG: I'll be making the trip with the team.
Q: So the thought is that you could return pretty quickly once you're eligible?
STRASBURG: Yeah. Yeah. That's what they told me. They just told me like 20 minutes ago.
14 comments:
Mark,
Is everything still pointing to shoulder tightness/ soreness or is there growing concern internally that this is something bigger that will result in him being shutdown for the rest of the year?
I think the DL move is less about Strasburg's shoulder and more about opening up a roster spot for Olsen --a 25-man roster move has to happen before he takes the mound this afternoon. If Stras isn't going to touch a ball for a few days and doing this retroactive only keeps him out until next week (Aug 7 by my count), there's no reason not to DL him.
I think that roster spot would have been made available by sending Balester down. You are right about your analysis though; so I guess Balester stays until we need another pitcher on Sunday unless we use Batista in which case he stays until Marquis comes up.
The other thing to consider is that there will probably be some player moves associated with the trade deadline on Saturday.
Definitely a move to clear up a spot for either a new pitcher or roster move with the trade deadline.
To move him to the DL retroactively is smart to get Olsen's spot open then they can worry about the next move after that when another starter or reliever is needed if Batista can hold down the fort.
I know the drill only too well, this situation is beginning to unravel like a cheap suit. The next step is a trip next week to Birmingham to see Dr. Andrews. You all know the rest of the story and how it ends.
Anonymous said...
"I know the drill only too well, this situation is beginning to unravel like a cheap suit. The next step is a trip next week to Birmingham to see Dr. Andrews. You all know the rest of the story and how it ends."
I know this post too well. Everything sucks and the entire world is going to hell. You all know the rest of the story and how the doomsday thinking and the complaining never ends.
Anon at 11:45. Thanks for your downer forecast. I hope you are wrong but I also hope they sent his film to Doc Andrews already for review.
Strasburg will be meeting with the media before the game. The only silver lining I heard was Strasburg saying he has had this tightness before and rest and meds were the solution and he was able to resume pitching afterwards.
HOPE
STRASBURG: Yeah, I mean they're talking every precaution with me. It's feeling great already. I'm making big strides. I'm just going to keep getting better, keep getting stronger, and when the time comes I'm going to be ready to go.
Again, a little silver lining to be optimistic!
Damn, I was holding out hope that he would be mowing down the Phillies Sunday and shutting up their fans.
Also, Michael Morse starting in RF today! So more good news!
I should have known that once I bought my tickets for Aug. 6th in LA that something would go wrong.
Sorry everyone. :)
I'm not worried about the DL stint. Adjusting to the five-day schedule over the season is a big adjustment. Clearly their plan was to stick him to that schedule as long as possible this season, then play it by ear.
What's interesting is that there is clearly no "book" way for breaking in phenom pitchers like Stras. The Twins mucked around with Johan Santana in the bullpen for too long and it cost them one year of club control. They changed course with Liriano and said hello to Tommy John as a result. The Joba Rules failed for the Yankees. Only time will tell, but I think the plan of "pitch him every five days until he stiffens up" is a reasonable course.
DC Tom - The good news is that Strasburg didn't take the mound on Tuesday and really mess things up.
They may be taking an over-cautious approach and restart him up which will probably have him pitching through September now.
Maybe now we will see a glimpse of the future with Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann and Olsen and Livo in the same rotation in September.
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