Stephen Strasburg tossed another bullpen session this afternoon in Nationals Park, but Dusty Baker wasn’t giving up any information about whether the 28-year-old would be back on the mound in the majors tomorrow night as speculated when the Nats’ skipper spoke to reporters this afternoon.
He eventually made the official announcement after tonight’s win over the Braves.
Strasburg will return to face Atlanta in the series finale in D.C. on Wednesday.
He was due to come off the DL (elbow soreness), but Baker wasn’t committing to anything before today’s game.
“We’ll tell you after the game,” Baker said, when asked if he was ready to announce tomorrow’s starter.
He didn’t have much to say about the ‘09 No. 1 overall pick’s latest bullpen session either.
“That’s why we’re going to tell you after the game, cause we’ll see how he comes out of throwing today,” Baker explained.
“It was probably a very short bullpen if he has a chance to pitch tomorrow, so we’ll see, okay?
“Like I said, I don’t have anything to tell you, we will tell you after the game, so you have to stick around till after the game.”
Having Strasburg back, and more importantly, healthy, will be big for the Nationals, of course, since they will be adding a hard-throwing right-hander to the rotation who has put up a 3.59 ERA, a 2.98 FIP, 44 walks (2.72 BB/9), 179 Ks (11.08 K/9) and a .216/.279/.359 line against in 145 1⁄3 IP before he went on the DL for the second time this season.
“It would mean a lot to us,” Baker acknowledged, “because at this point he’s one of our big three, he’s one of our main three. What was he (15-4) when he went down?”
He was.
“He was having a great year and he still has opportunities to finish a great year and the fact that we’ll have him, hopefully, if everything comes out okay, that means a lot.
“That means we don’t have to mix-and-match.
“We know we have three and hope that we get a couple of the other guys back, and that’s a formidable trio going into the playoffs.”
Thus far, Baker explained, Strasburg had come through his throwing and bullpen sessions without any issues.
“He seems like he’s coming out of his sessions good. He’s a tough read, you know.
“I mean, you guys agree with that, you can’t tell, and as pitchers do, they’re always rubbing on something.
“Even when they’re talking to you they don’t even know they’re doing it, they’re always rubbing on something. So like I said, he’s a tough read and if he wasn’t okay, then I’m sure he would tell us.”
After tonight’s game, Baker made it official:
Strasburg will start tomorrow.
— Chase Hughes (@chasehughesCSN) September 7, 2016
Strasburg will come off DL and start tomorrow, Dusty says.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) September 7, 2016
Strasburg will start Wednesday.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) September 7, 2016