The Nationals officially announced that right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg would continue his rehabilitation assignment from Tommy John surgery on Wednesday at low-A Hagerstown.
This will be the third start for Strasburg, who had surgery last Sept. 3. He made his return appearance in Hagerstown on Aug. 7, allowing a run and three hits in 1 2/3 innings, but striking out four batters. One of the hits was a solo home run, but Strasburg threw 25 of his 31 pitches for strikes.
He was even more efficient last Friday at high-A Potomac. Before a crowd of 8,619 fans, Strasburg struck out five batters and threw 26 of his 33 pitches for strikes. He allowed only two infield singles and another Myrtle Beach runner reached on an error. Otherwise, Strasburg was lights out in three innings of work.
Hagerstown was the choice for start No. 3 because the only other Washington affiliate at home on Wednesday is Triple-A Syracuse and that was a jump the Nats weren’t quite ready to have him make. Expect Strasburg to go four innings or 60 pitches, whichever comes first. He was so good last Friday he had to throw an extra 17 pitches in the bullpen after he left the game to get the proper amount of work in.
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