:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/19486581/20130719_pjc_au3_171.0.jpg)
According to reports out of Nationals Park this afternoon, 25-year-old Washington Nationals' right-hander Stephen Strasburg was scratched from his scheduled start against the Philadelphia Phillies with forearm tightness. Here's what Nats' skipper Davey Johnson told reporters on the scene in the nation's capital when he met with the press before the start of the Nationals' three-game series with the visiting Phillies:
Strasburg had discomfort in forearm throwing + playing catch in NY. He will rest and is expected to start on the 19th
— Craig Heist (@cheistsports) September 13, 2013
Strasburg felt the forearm tightness in NY during bullpen session. It's in muscle on top of arm, opposite side of Tommy John surgery area.
— Chase Hughes (@chasehughesCSN) September 13, 2013
Davey was very clear that the soreness is muscular and on the opposite side of the elbow from Strasburg's Tommy John procedure.
— Amanda Comak (@acomak) September 13, 2013
Strasburg was examined by #nats doctor Wiemi Douoguih & instructed him to rest & take meds. Davey: "all the docs think it's a non-issue."
— Amanda Comak (@acomak) September 13, 2013
Davey says he is "pretty confident" Strasburg will start Sept. 19. "All the doctors think it's a non-issue."
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) September 13, 2013
Davey says Strasburg's forearm tightness came "out of the blue" yesterday. He wouldn't say what the new pitch is.
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) September 13, 2013
The Nationals, through Davey Johnson, seem to be stressing that the issue is unrelated to the '09 no.1 overall pick's surgically-reconstructed right elbow. Strasburg had Tommy John surgery in 2010 after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in a start against the same Phillies he was scheduled to face tonight.
Washington has won six straight heading into tonight's game as they fight to remain alive in the race for the second Wild Card spot. Nationals' right-hander Ross Ohlendorf will take the mound tonight in the series opener with the Phillies in place of Strasburg.
• Here's the Nationals' lineup for tonight's game:
#Nationals lineup vs. PHI: Span 8, Zimmerman 5, Werth 9, Harper 7, Desmond 6, LaRoche 3, Ramos 2, Lombardozzi 4, Ohlendorf 1
— Nationals PR (@NationalsPR) September 13, 2013
More from Federal Baseball:
- Stephen Strasburg Scratched? Nationals' RHP Not In Lineup Released By Nats
- Nationals Name Billy Burns; Taylor Jordan 2013 Minor League Player/Pitcher Of The Year
- Nationals' Lefty Ross Detwiler's Lost Season... FBB On MASN
- The Nats Are Who We Thought They Were
- Rosenthal: Nationals And Yankees Reportedly Talked About Dan Haren