The Associated Press
PHOENIX–Stephen Strasburg says he hasn’t felt right since the all-star break and decided after two innings in Arizona to call it a day.
“The stuff was good but it’s still kind of like lingering,” he noted.
“And I just want to nip it in the bud now, hopefully not miss any time, and try and be smart about it.”
Manager Dusty Baker turned to five relievers to share the final seven innings in the Washington Nationals’ 6-2 victory over the Diamondbacks yesterday afternoon that wrapped up a successful nine-game trip out of the all-star break.
Strasburg described the problem as slight “achiness” in his forearm.
“The all-star break kind of messed up me throwing-wise and treatment-wise,” he remarked.
“I think my arm is just kind of taking a while to get back in the swing of things, unfortunately.
“I pitched through it last game and obviously did well,” Strasburg added.
“But it was kind of still lingering there and I said, ‘You know what, I’ve got to be smart about it.'”
In his previous start in Cincinnati, Strasburg went seven innings, limiting the Reds to one run on four hits while fanning 11 and walking one.
“It’s not really like intense pain in a specific area,” he noted.
“It’s just kind of like general tightness and I’m having a tough time to really get loose out there.”
Strasburg, 10-3 with a 3.25 ERA, uncharacteristically walked the No. 8 and No. 9 batters in the second inning before departing with a 5-0 lead.
“He’s had a little stiffness, really couldn’t get loose even though he’s throwing the ball well,” Baker said.
“So we’ll analyze it when we get back home after he sees our doctors and hopefully we’ll have an answer on Tuesday.”
Brian Goodwin’s lead-off homer ignited a four-run first inning off Robbie Ray (9-5), who allowed five runs in five innings.
“A little bit that happened on the first night to Max Scherzer [when Arizona homered three times and scored four],” said Diamondbacks’ manager Torey Lovullo.
“They came out and just caught us with a quick punch, and staggered us.”
Bryce Harper singled in the first to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.
The NL East-leading Nationals took two-of-three in Arizona to go 7-2 on the trip.
Arizona, 3-6 since the all-star break, stranded 11 runners.
Elsewhere in the NL, Cincinnati beat Miami 6-3, Philadelphia doubled Milwaukee 6-3, Colorado routed Pittsburgh 13-3, San Diego downed San Francisco 5-2, L.A. edged Atlanta 5-4 (10 innings), and Chicago upended St. Louis 5-3.
Oakland nipped the N.Y. Mets 3-2 in interleague play.
