Stephen Strasburg’s six innings of work in Sunday’s 4-0 win over the Marlins puts him at 105 innings for the year. If the Nationals stick with the same innings limit they placed last year on Jordan Zimmermann, who also was coming off Tommy John surgery (he pitched 161), that leaves Strasburg with 56 innings — about nine starts at his current rate.
Wouldn’t it be better if those starts came in September and October than July and August?
The best thing that could happen now for the Nats would be an ankle sprain or pulled hamstring for Strasburg — nothing too serious, just severe enough to land him on the disabled list and allow the team to delay his return until he’s needed.
If the Nats tumbled in the standings in the absence of Strasburg, they could bring him back ASAP. If they kept winning with Chien-Ming Wang, Zach Duke, John Lannan or even Ryan Dempster in the rotation, Strasburg could take his time.
That certainly beats the alternative — Strasburg pitching his final game around Sept. 1 and then watching the rest of the Nats’ most important games as a spectator.
Many questions remain. How would a Strasburg shutdown affect the psyche of a team that’s never seriously contended before? How much fire will general manager Mike Rizzo be under if the Nats falter with Strasburg on the shelf? Would the acquisition of a top-of-the-rotation starter help everyone accept the situation?
The best answer to all these questions just might be a harmless stint on the DL.
– Kevin Dunleavy
