Stephen Strasburg

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Stephen James Strasburg (born July 20, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Strasburg was chosen by Washington with the first pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.

In 2019, he was named the World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP). Strasburg, a gifted yet unpolished high school baseball player at West Hills High School, played college baseball for the San Diego State Aztecs.

He was named one of the best college pitchers in the country.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, he captained the United States national baseball team, winning the bronze medal.

Strasburg was dubbed the "most hyped and closely watched pitching prospect in the history of baseball" by ESPN two years ago, according to Sports Illustrated.

Strasburg's rookie season, which took place on June 8, 2010, featured a franchise-record 14 strikeouts. Strasburg tore a ligament in his pitching elbow a few months into his major league career.

Tommy John's injury required him to recover for a year.

On September 6, 2011, he returned to the Nationals, but he was only able to pitch 24 innings that year.

Strasburg was selected to play in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game, marking his return to form for the 2012 season.

Strasburg led the National League in strikeouts in 2014, throwing an average fastball of 94.8 miles per hour that year.

Strasburg won five games in the 2019 postseason, tying the record for most victories in a single postseason, as shown by Randy Johnson and Francisco Rodrez.

Personal life

Strasburg was born in San Diego, California, to Jim Strasburg, a real estate investor, and Kathleen Swett Strasburg, a dietician. He grew up to be a San Diego Padres fan.

Strasburg cites his maternal grandmother with helping him develop his baseball skills as an infant. She'd often play catch and even work on pitching with him. He lists her as one of his favorite inspirations.

He married Rachel Lackey on January 9, 2010. They met as students at San Diego State University. The couple has two children as of 2019. According to The Washington Post, the Strasburgs relocated full-time to Washington, D.C., where Stephen often works out even during the offseason.

In an interview on June 24, 2014, Strasburg said he was going to stop smoking following Tony Gwynn's death, but he told The Washington Post two years later that he had not completely kicked the habit.

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Amateur career

Strasburg attended West Hills High School in Santee, California. He struggled on the school's baseball team in his freshman year, winning by a 1–10 loss record. In his senior year, Strasburg allowed just one strike out of a twelve-strike out game against El Capitan High School, in which Strasburg allowed just one hit. He finished his senior year with a 1.68 earned run average (ERA) and 74 strikeouts in 62+13 innings pitched, with seven complete games. He earned three varsity letters, set school records in ERA, and shutouts, and was named the year's Scholar-Athlete of the Year by his school. He was also named second-team all-league and team MVP, as well as his team's MVP. Despite these accomplishments, he was not chosen in the Major League Baseball draft for the first time in that year.

Strasburg had hoped to attend Stanford University but was not accepted. Despite being recruited at a variety of colleges around the country, he enrolled at San Diego State University, where both of his parents attended college. Tony Gwynn, a baseball Hall of Fame player, played college baseball for the San Diego State Aztecs. Strasburg was certainly not the first guy to pitch collegiate baseball; he was overweight and inexperienced. He was dubbed "slothburg" by his conditioning coach, who advised him not to play baseball. He had a rough time adjusting to college life, moving out of his dormitory, and in with his mother after five days. "I wasn't the most mature guy out of high school," he said. ... The dorm was an overdose, much too much, too quickly." Strasburg responded with a strenuous workout regimen, shedding 30 pounds (14 kg) in the process. He also tried to increase his mental stamina. Coaches put him through his paces by placing him in high-pressure situations and reminding him that strikeouts must be obtained.

In his freshman year, San Diego State used Strasburg as a relief pitcher; he began the season off in middle relief before being the Aztecs' closer. He held opponents to a.141 batting average against and was named Co-Freshman of the Year for the Mountain West Conference. Strasburg played for the Torrington Twisters of the collegiate summer baseball New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). He was named as a closer to the NECBL First Team as a starter, and was also selected as the top Pro Prospect and Top Relief Pitcher in the NECBL.

Strasburg was converted from a sophomore to a full-time starting pitcher in 2008. In 98+13 innings, he went 8–3 with a 1.58 ERA and 134 strikeouts. Four of his thirteen starts in 2008 were complete games, two of which were shutouts. In a game against the University of Utah on April 11, he struck out a record 23 batters. He also hit 100 mph on his fastball, achieving eight miles per hour while still active in the upper 90s and nearing 100 mph.

Strasburg's junior season, 2009-08, was 13–1 with a 1.32 ERA, 59 runs allowed, 16 earned runs, 19 walks, and 195 strikeouts in 109 innings pitched. Strasburg threw his first home run on May 8, 2009, threw out 17 Air Force Falcons batters in his first home start. Virginia defeated the Virginia Cavaliers in the NCAA Regionals, but the Commonwealth World Series continued as Virginia advanced to the College World Series, but he still struck out 15 in seven innings during the loss. He was named in the Dick Howser Trophy and the National Pitcher of the Year Award.

Strasburg was selected to the United States national baseball team on June 24, 2008. He appeared in the 2008 World University Baseball Championship, which took place in late July. In the competition, the United States took home the gold medal.

Strasburg was the lone collegiate player selected for the United States national team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Strasburg dominated the Netherlands for seven innings in his first appearance at the Olympics, knocking out five of the first six batters he faced and 11 overall. Strasburg allowed a seventh-inning single to Sharnol Adriana, which was a lonesome.

Manager Davey Johnson with the United States having already secured a spot in the semifinals, saved Strasburg from his second appearance on August 20 in order to place him against Norge Luis Vera of the Cuban national baseball team in the first round. Vera was outdueled Strasburg by six innings pitched and only two runs, with one earned. Strasburg, on the other hand, lasted only four innings after giving up three runs rather than two earned. Cuba won the game 10–2.

Strasburg's United States defeated Japan 8–4, giving the US a 1–1 record, a 1.67 ERA, and a bronze medal for the Olympics. In 2008, he received the USA Baseball Richard W. "Dick" Case Player of the Year Award.

Professional career

Strasburg was drafted number one overall in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft by the Washington Nationals on June 9, 2009. He signed a record-breaking four-year, $15.1 million deal with the Nationals on August 17, 2009, just 77 seconds before the deadline, smashing a dollar-amount record set by Mark Prior, who signed for $10.5 million in 2001. Strasburg's agent Scott Boras represents Strasburg.

Strasburg made his professional debut in the Arizona Fall League, beginning with the Phoenix Desert Dogs. He was selected to compete in the league's Rising Stars Showcase, but he was unable to participate due to a minor neck injury. He also earned Pitcher of the Week awards for the week of November 2, 2009, and he led the AFL with four victories. Baseball America named Strasburg as the top pitching prospect and second-best overall prospect behind Jason Heyward before the 2010 season began.

For the 2010 season, Strasburg was assigned to the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League. Strasburg's debut and nationally broadcast portions of the game attracted so much excitement and excitement. He won his Senators debut against the Altoona Curve, throwing four hits and four runs (one earned), while striking out eight batters in five innings. During his first home start on April 16, he gave up three hits and an unearned run in 2213 innings, losing to the New Britain Rock Cats, where his innings were limited due to a rain delay. In Strasburg's home debut with 7,895 supporters, Harrisburg set a new attendance record. While striking out 27 and walking six in 22 innings, he finished his Class AA stint with a 1.64 ERA.

He was named to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League on May 4, 2010. In his first game with the Chiefs, he pitched six scoreless innings, striking out six batters but allowing one hit and one walk. The game attracted 13,766 fans, the highest attendance in the 135-year history of baseball in Syracuse. Strasburg was dismissed after pitching six no-hit innings in his second start. He ended his minor league career with a record of 7–2, 65 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 55+13 innings, with a batting average of 0.80.

Strasburg made his major-league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 8, 2010. It's been described as the game's most awaited pitching debut, according to a Sports Illustrated columnist. "Strasmas" was the colloquial name for Strasburg's illustrious debut. An ESPN column revealed it. Strasburg won in his debut, pitching seven innings, allowing two earned runs and no walks and 14 strikeouts, setting a new team strikeout record that was previously held by John Patterson (13, twice). Also, he was the first pitcher to strike out at least eleven batters without issuing any walks in his pro debut, while still falling just one strikeout shy of the all-time record for a pitcher's debut (1954) and J. R. Richard (1971) both struck out 15, but each took nine innings to do it, with each hitting out three. (Bob Feller made his first appearance in his debut, but it wasn't his first appearance in the big leagues). He struck out every batter in the Pirates' lineup at least once and knocked out the last seven batters he faced, a Nationals record. He threw 34 of his 94 pitches at 98 mph (158 km/h) or faster, with two of them hitting 100 mph (160 km/h).

He struck out two more batters and ten batters in Strasburg's second and third major league debuts, both tying a major league record for the most strikeouts in a pitcher's first three starts with 32. Richard, the previous record holder, had turned out 29 in his first three appearances in 1971.

Following his second appearance, Strasburg was also included in Sports Illustrated's front page. For the month of June, his #37 jersey was the top-selling Nationals jersey of all baseball, and he became the best-selling Nationals jersey of all time in that span.

Strasburg played in 12 games in the 2010 season, beginning with 68 innings, 92 strikeouts, and compiling a 2.91 ERA. He was selected as a pitcher on the 2010 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team.

Strasburg was put on the disabled list in July 2010 with an inflamed right shoulder. He returned to action on August 10, but he was forced to leave early on August 21, his third game back. Strasburg had a torn ulnar collateral ligament ligament ligament patch, requiring Tommy John surgery and about 12 to 18 months of rehabilitation, according to the Nationals on August 27, who revealed it on August 27.

Strasburg's first rehabilitation for the Hagerstown Suns began on August 7, 2011. Strasburg received six rehab starts during the 2011 minor league season, totaling 20+1,3 innings, with 29 strikeouts, compiling a 3.49 ERA and a 1–1 record. He made five appearances in 2011 during his first season in the major leagues, his first appearance against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 6. He threw for 24 runs, struck out 24, and set a 1.50 ERA and a 1-1 record.

Strasburg had an NL-best 34 strikeouts and second-best 1.13 ERA in April 2012. He took six walks and did not give up a home run. He was subsequently named NL Pitcher of the Month. Strasburg went 2-for-2 as a batter in a game against the Baltimore Orioles on May 20, hitting his first home run and a solo shot off Wei-Yin Chen. Strasburg became the first pitcher of the year to strike out 100 batters in his Toronto Blue Jays debut on June 13. Strasburg was selected to his first All-Star Game alongside teammates Gio González, Ian Desmond, and Bryce Harper on July 1.

The Nationals decided to limit the number of innings Strasburg will throw in the 2012 season as part of his Tommy John surgery as well as as a precaution due to his low innings total in 2011. Despite the fact that the number was never confirmed, rumors that Strasburg's maximum would be between 160 and 180 innings have arisen. Strasburg's suspension was also decided; he would not play in the playoffs. Dr. Lewis Yocum, the surgeon who cut Strasburg's elbow, agreed in 2011 that Strasburg's 2012 innings total should be limited, but he did not speak with Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo or Strasburg during the season. Jordan Zimmermann, a teammate, underwent a similar procedure a year before.

Strasburg's high profile and the Nationals' triumph in the 2012 season made the innings limitation a topic of national debate. In addition to baseball journalists, a number of other notable figures, including football broadcasters Troy Aikman and Terry Bradshaw, basketball reporter Stephen A. Smith, and even well-known politicians such as Rudy Giuliani and Mitch McConnell, all expressed their opinions on the subject. Rizzo defended the decision to shut down Strasburg while also criticizing the buzz surrounding it: "It's a good conversation piece, it's a good debatable topic." However, the majority of those who have weighed in on this have estimated that 10 percent of the facts we know and that we've based on is inaccurate, which is why we've made our decision."

Strasburg is set to start on September 12 with John Lannan replacing him in the Nationals' starting rotation, according to the Nationals. However, after a rough outing on September 8, Davey Johnson declared that Strasburg would be out for the 2012 season. Strasburg was kept off the postseason roster after the Nationals lost the 2012 NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games. In 159+13 innings pitched, he finished the season 15-56 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 197 strikeouts. Strasburg earned himself a Silver Slugger Award after hitting.277 with a home run, seven RBIs, and three walks.

On April 1, 2013, Strasburg pitched Opening Day for the Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. He went seven innings, giving up no runs and three hits and three hits and three strikeouts while still recording three strikeouts. Juan Pierre, the game's first batter, retired nineteen batters in a row. Strasburg won the game, a win, with a final score of 2–0.

Strasburg underwent a brief stint on the disabled list in June with a mild lateral strain, and was reactivated on June 16.

In 2013, Strasburg reached new heights of longevity. On May 16, he got a win over his hometown San Diego Padres and a re-start on July 24. Strasburg played his first complete game against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 11, 2013, delivering a 6–0 shutout and 4 hits.

In the second inning of a Nationals-Braves game, he was suspended for the first time in his MLB career on August 17, 2013. Hudson notified both teams ahead of the ejection after Strasburg defeated Justin Upton with a first-pitch fastball following a Braves home run.

Strasburg finished the year with a 3.00 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, eight wins, nine losses, and 191 strikeouts over 191 innings pitched.

Strasburg led the league in strikeouts, as well as Johnny Cueto and finishing ninth in the Cy Young award balloting. He had career-best starts (34), innings pitched (215), and strikeouts (2422).

Strasburg was limited to 127+1/3 innings, his lowest output since 2011. He had a 3.46 ERA and played in 11 games, good for third on the Nationals' pitching staff.

Strasburg has signed a seven-year, $175 million contract to play for the Nationals. Strasburg was the first National to get an opt-out provision in his deal, allowing him to choose free agency after the 2019 or 2020 seasons if he so desired. Due to an upper back strain, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 26, 2016. He returned to the Cincinnati Reds on July 3 for a no-hitter against 6.2 innings before being suspended from the game after throwing 109 pitches. In the 8th inning, the no-hitter was broken, but the Nationals followed 12–1. Strasburg was the first pitcher since 1912 to start 12–0 on July 8. His winning streak went back to 16, including 13 in the 2016 season, before the Los Angeles Dodgers snapped it on July 21. Strasburg was once more placed on the 15-day disabled list due to right elbow pain.

Strasburg beat the San Diego Padres 30 in a game on May 27, 2017. It was tied for the fourth most in Nationals franchise history.

Strasburg set a new franchise record on September 10 for consecutive innings pitched without allowing a run with 34 innings, including a nine-inning complete game shutout against Miami Marlins starter Adam Conley on August 30. He was 15–4 with a 2.52 ERA in the 2017 season and led the majors in lowest home runs per nine innings (0.67).

He was 10–7 with a 3.74 ERA in 22 starts in which he knocked out 156 batters in 130 innings.

Strasburg pitched eight scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins on April 21, becoming the career leader in innings pitched by a Washington Nationals player. On July 3, he pitched an immaculate (top of the 4th) inning against Marlins Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker, and Starlin Castro, the fourth in Nationals history. He went 3-for-3 with five RBIs, including a 420-foot homerun against the Atlanta Braves on July 19, when he went 1-for-3 with five RBIs.

Strasburg was 18–6 in 2019 with a 3.32 ERA. He led the National League in victories (18) in the regular season (18), and second in strikeouts (251) behind Jacob deGrom; both were career highs.

Strasburg pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Max Scherzer, gaining the victory when the Nationals came back to defeat the Brewers 4-3. Strasburg won by one run and struck out ten batters in Game 2 of the 2019 National League Division Series. In Game 5 of the NLDS, Strasburg pitched in a no-decision game for three runs. The Nationals went on to win by a score of 7–3. Strasburg allowed two runs in the first inning but won in Game 6 of the 2019 World Series. He was voted the Most Valuable Player Award in two appearances (the first and only top draft pick to win the award) for his two wins (including pitching 1413 innings out of 14 batters and only giving up 12 hits in total. Strasburg finished the playoffs 5–0 with a 1.98 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts, as well as teammate Juan Soto, who was named co-winners of the Babe Ruth Award as the overall postseason MVPs.

Strasburg opted out of the remaining four years of his deal and became a free agent for the first time in his career after winning the World Series. Strasburg agreed to a seven-year, $245 million contract to return to the Nationals on December 9, 2019. Strasburg has made a specific request in the offseason that Nationals Park remain open every day so he could continue to work out. The $35 million annual average salary was the first time a pitcher had received more money in a MLB career.

Strasburg's 2020 debut on the injured list began on the injured list (IL); he made his 2020 debut on August 9, 2020. Strasburg's second game started on August 14, after facing only three batters. Strasburg returned to the IL with a nerve injury in his pitching hand the next day. Strasburg will be out for the remainder of the year with the two games being his first appearances on the year.

Strasburg got off to a promising start for the Nationals in 2021 before ending up on the injured list on April 18 with right shoulder pain. Strasburg was activated and got off to three more runs before returning to the IL on June 2 with a neck strain. Strasburg would have surgery to alleviate neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, according to his 2021 season, ending his 2021 season. Strasburg had a 1–2 record and a 4.57 ERA in his 5 years, with 21 strikeouts in 21+2/3 innings.

Strasburg was activated from the IL on June 9, 2022, and got off to a good start (in which he gave up seven earned runs in 4+13 innings of work) before returning to the IL five days later with a stress reaction in the ribs. Strasburg was transferred to the 60-day Illinois, where he remained for the remainder of the season.

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