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The news isn’t good: the Washington Nationals placed All-Star starter Stephen Strasburg on the 15-day D.L. with “right elbow soreness.” The team thus far has declined to elaborate on the extent or severeness of that soreness. Perhaps manager Dusty Baker will have some comments in his pregame press conference.
The national baseball writers did react with some further info, with Joel Sherman from the N.Y. Post providing the most in-depth reporting on the subject:
Source: Strasburg has had touch of inflammation last few GS would pitch thru if playoffs, #Nationals see as chance to get him right with DL
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 22, 2016
Then,
Source: Strasburg elbow issue is not structural. #Nationals being pro-active with DL stint to get right for stretch/playoffs.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 22, 2016
And,
Of course, it's Strasburg's elbow and his second DL stint this yr, so not ideal. But #Nationals believe he will be fine for playoffs
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 22, 2016
Bob Nightengale of USA Today followed suit with some speculation:
The #Nats are cautiously optimistic that Stephen Strasburg will be able to return to the rotation in two weeks.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 22, 2016
Surprisingly, neither Jon Morosi and Ken Rosenthal — both of whom have close ties to the Strasburg/Scott Boras camp — have weighed in on the subject at the time of this post.
More to come...