Stephen J. Strasburg...Graduated from West Hills (Calif.) High in 2006 and attended San Diego State University...Pitched for Team USA in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics...Became the first collegiate member of Team USA since pro players were permitted in 2000...Was the recipient of the 2008 Richard W. “Dick” Case Award (Team USA’s Athlete of the Year), thanks to two-start stint (2.45 ERA in Olympic tournament) and 2008 performance with Team USA’s undefeated (24-0) National (collegiate) Team...In 2007, pitched for Torrington in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (1-0, seven saves, 1.29 ERA)…Was named NECBL’s Top Pro Prospect and Top Reliever...Following his MLB debut on June 8, 2010 vs. PIT, donated game hat and game ball (ball hit for first out recorded, an Andrew McCutchen lineout to SS) to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.
2022
Continued his road back from June 2021 thoracic outlet surgery...Returned to the mound in late-May, making two rehab starts with Single-A Fredericksburg and one with Triple-A Rochester...Returned to the MLB mound on June 9 at Miami (4.2 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, HR, 2 BB, 5 SO)...Was placed on the Injured List on June 11 with a stress reaction in his ribs, ending his season.
2021
Opened the season with 6.0 innings of one-hit, shutout ball on April 7 vs. Atlanta...Was placed on the 10-day Injured List after his next start with right shoulder inflammation... Returned on May 21 and tossed 5.1 one-hit, shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles...Underwent thoracic outlet surgery on June 2, ending his season...2021 Pitch Mix: Curveball (30.1%) 4-Seam (29.6%) Sinker (24.6%) Changeup (15.7%).
2020
Had his 2020 season cut short due to carpal tunnel neuritis in his right hand...Was scratched from his first start of the season, July 25 vs. New York (AL)…Returned on Aug. 9 vs. Baltimore (4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, BB, 2 SO)…Took the mound on Aug. 14 at Baltimore, but was removed in the first inning with discomfort in his right hand...He underwent surgery on Aug. 26, ending his season.
2019
Went 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA and struck out a career-high 251 batters in 33 starts...He led the National League in wins (18) and innings pitched (209.0) and ranked among National League pitchers in strikeouts (2nd, 251), opponents' OPS (4th, .620), opponents' batting average (5th, .210), strikeouts per 9.0 innings (5th, 10.81), WHIP (5th, 1.04), opponents' slugging percentage (6th, .349) and opponents' on-base percentage (7th, .271)...Along with Max Scherzer (243) and Patrick Corbin (238), he helped the 2019 Nationals become the first team in MLB history to have a rotation feature at least three players with at least 222 strikeouts... They were the first National League team since the 1969 Houston Astros (Larry Dierker/Tom Griffin/Don Wilson) to have three pitchers record at least 200 strikeouts...Finished the season strong, going 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA in his final eight starts of the season...Over his last eight starts of the regular season and into Postseason play, opponents hit .098 (6-for-61) with one double, two homers, nine RBI and 26 strikeouts with runners in scoring position...Put together an historic 2019 Postseason and was named World Series Most Valuable Player after going 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA (4 ER/14.1 IP) and 14 strikeouts in two World Series starts...Helped the Nationals avoid elimination in Game 6 of the World Series (8.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 7 SO)...In doing so, he became the first pitcher since Curt Schilling (Game 5, 1993) to toss at least 8.1 innings while not surrendering more than two runs in a potential World Series elimination game...All told, he became the first pitcher in Major League history to finish a Postseason with a 5-0 record... Recorded a 1.98 ERA (8 ER/36.1 IP) and 47 strikeouts against just four walks in six Postseason games (five starts)...Opponents went 2-for-22 (.091) with 11 strikeouts and one walk with runners in scoring position during the Postseason...He made his first career relief appearance in the Wild Card game against Milwaukee, tossing 3.0 innings of two-hit, shutout ball to help Washington top the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3.
2018
Started his ninth Major League season strong, going 6-5 with a 3.20 ERA in his first 12 starts before exiting his start on June 8 with right-shoulder inflammation...Put together his strongest start of the season on April 10 vs. Atlanta...Tossed 8.0 innings of three-hit, shutout ball, striking out eight in Washington's 4-1 win...At the time of the injury, he ranked among National League pitchers in strikeouts (4th, 93), strikeout-to-walk ratio (5th, 4.89), WHIP (7th, 1.06), opp. OBP (7th, .274) and wins (T7th, 6)...Returned from disabled list on July 20, but again was placed on the DL on July 22 with a cervical nerve impingement...Was reinstated on Aug. 22 and finished the season strong, going 4-0 with a 2.66 ERA (12 ER/40.2 IP)and 50 strikeouts in his final seven starts...The Nationals went 6-1 in those starts... Recorded four 10+ strikeout games in 2018.
2017
Made his fourth career Opening Day start...Put together a strong first half of the season en route to being named an All-Star for the third time in his career... Was selected by the Commissioner's Office and was slated to pitch the 12th had the game reached that point, but it ended in a 2-1 American League victory after 10 innings...Ranked third in the National League (4th in MLB) with a career-best 2.52 ERA...Ranked second in the NL in FanGraphs.com WAR (5.6)...Also ranked in NL in home runs per 9.0 IP (1st, 0.67), opp. SLG (1st, .317), opp. OPS (2nd, .581), WHIP (3rd, 1.02), opp. OBP (3rd, .265), and opp. AVG (3rd, .204)...Coupled with Max Scherzer (2nd, 2.51) and Gio Gonzalez (5th, 2.96), Strasburg (3rd, 2.52), helped the Nationals become the first team with three starting pitchers ranking in the top five in the National League in ERA in 21 years (since the 1996 Atlanta Braves), according to the Elias Sports Bureau ...On May 27 at San Diego, he struck out a career-high 15 batters in 7.0 shutout innings...On Aug. 19 at San Diego, he returned from a three-week stint on the disabled list...Since that game, Strasburg went 5-1 with a 0.84 ERA (5 ER/53.2 IP) in his final eight starts of the regular season...He racked up 63 strikeouts, allowed just 10 walks and surrendered only one home run...He held opponents to a .171 batting average while recording a 0.78 WHIP...All told, went 6-1 with a 0.86 ERA in 10 starts after the All-Star break...Via Elias , it was the second-lowest post-ASB ERA in MLB history for any pitcher with at least 10 starts...Jake Arrieta had a 0.75 ERA after the break in 2015...Recorded a 35.0 scoreless innings streak from that first start back from the DL in San Diego (Aug. 19) that ran until Sept. 17, when an unearned run ended the historic stretch...It was the longest consecutive scoreless innings streak in franchise history (Nationals/Expos) and, per Elias , the longest for any player in the Major Leagues since 2015 (Greinke, 45.2 IP; Kershaw, 37.0 IP)...Was dominant in the NLDS...Was saddled with the loss in Game 1 despite striking out 10 batters in 7.0 innings without allowing an earned run (7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, BB, 10 SO)...He pushed aside a virus that had made him ill for much of the week, to rack up 12 strikeouts (re-setting his own Postseason franchise record for single-game strikeouts) over 7.0 scoreless innings in Washington's Game 4 victory...Became the second pitcher in MLB Postseason history to record a win with 12 or more strikeouts while his team faced elimination...Via the Elias Sports Bureau , the first such pitcher was Joe Coleman, who struck out 14 in a shutout to help the Detroit Tigers stave off elimination against the Oakland A's in Game 3 of the 1972 ALCS...Also per Elias , became just the third pitcher in Major League history to post multiple 10-plus strikeout games and no earned runs in a single Postseason series, joining Sandy Koufax (1965 World Series vs. MIN) and Justin Verlander (2013 ALDS vs. OAK).
2016
Opened his season in historic fashion, beginning the year 13-0 and on a personal 16-game winning streak that dated to Sept. 15, 2015 (see info box below)...Was the first pitcher in franchise history (WSH/MON) to win at least 15 of his first 16 decisions...With a strikeout of Bud Norris in the bottom of the third inning on April 4 at ATL, Strasburg became the Washington Nationals (2005-pres.) all-time leader in strikeouts (904), passing former teammate Jordan Zimmermann (903)...Was named NL Pitcher of the Month for July (4-1, 2.08 ERA, 37 SO, 12 BB)...Was named to his second All-Star Game, but did not pitch due to his start on July 8...Endured two stints on the disabled list (6/16 to 7/3 with upper back soreness and 8/21 to 9/7 with right elbow soreness)...He returned to action on Sept. 7 but was shut down following that start...At that time, he ranked among National League pitchers in wins (3rd, 15), strikeouts per nine innings (3rd, 11.2), strikeouts (6th, 183), hits per nine innings (8th, 7.25) and walks/hits per innings pitched (10th, 1.10)... With 15, matched a career-high in wins (15 in 2012)...Recorded his 1,000th strikeout, June 4 at CIN (Straily) becoming the first player in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to record all 1,000 strikeouts in a Nationals uniform.
2015
Endured two stints on the 15-day disabled list: May 30-June 23 (neck tightness) and July 5-August 8 (left oblique strain)...Missed 49 games...Finished the season very strong, going 8-2 with a 1.76 ERA (16 ER/82.0 IP) in 13 starts while striking out 110 batters and walking just 12 from June 23 to the end of the season...After returning from the disabled list on Aug. 8, through the end of the season, ranked among MLB pitchers (min. 10 GS) in strikeouts per nine innings (1st, 12.5), strikeout-to-walk ratio (1st, 11.50), strikeouts (3rd, 92), WHIP (3rd, 0.75), opp. batting average (3rd, .179), opp. OBP (3rd, .206) and ERA (5th, 1.90)...Matched a career-high with 14 strikeouts, Sept. 15 at PHI...His 55 percent swing-and-miss rate was highest by a starting pitcher in any start of >/=100 P in past 10 seasons...Including his start on Sept. 9 vs. NYM (13 SO), he became the first starting pitcher in Washington history (2005-present) to fan 13+ batters in back-to-back starts...Joined Pedro Martinez (2x,1997: 6/8 & 6/14, and 8/20 & 8/25) as the only pitcher in franchise history (WSH/MON)...Named NL Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 14-20...Struck out at least 10 batters in four straight starts, Sept. 9-26, the longest streak in Nationals history (2005-present) and second-longest streak in MLB in 2015, behind CWS Chris Sale (8 games)...Since 2005, only five pitchers have put together a streak of 10+ strikeouts of four games or more: Chris Sale (2015; 8 G), David Price (2014; 5 G), Jon Lester (2015; 4 G), Jake Peavy (2007; 4 G)....His 50 strikeouts in that four-start span were the most in Montreal/Washington history since Pedro Martinez (51, 1997)...Over his final five starts, recorded 57 strikeouts against just five walks...Per Elias, since 1900, only six players have recorded 57 strikeouts and five or fewer walks over a five-start span: Sandy Koufax (1965, 57 SO/5 BB), Mike Scott (1986, 57 SO/5 BB), Pedro Martinez (1999, 69 SO/5 BB), Curt Schilling (2002, 59 SO/3 BB), Corey Kluber (2015, 59 SO/3 BB) and Stephen Strasburg (2015, 57 SO/5 BB).
2014
Washington's Opening Day starter for a third straight season...Went 14-11 with a 3.14 ERA in a career-high 34 starts...Led club with 215.0 innings pitched, becoming the first National to start 34 games since 2005...242 strikeouts tied for NL lead (J.Cueto), set a single-season team record (2005-present) and were most posted by a D.C.-based pitcher in 101 years (Walter Johnson, 243 K in 1913)...Ranked among NL leaders: starts (T1st, 34), strikeouts (T1st, 242), strikeouts per nine innings (2nd, 10.13), stikeout-to-walk ratio (3rd, 5.63/1), WHIP (9th, 1.12), walks per nine innings (10th, 1.80)...Paced the Nationals with nine home wins...From Aug. 14 to season's end, went 6-1 with a 1.69 ERA (11 ER/58.2 IP) in his final nine starts...Struck out 56 and walked eight over that stretch...Received two runs or less of support 20 times in 34 starts...Struck out at least 10 batters on five separate occasions, matching a career-high (also: 2012)...Was tied for fifth in the National League with 11 unearned runs allowed...Made his first career Postseason start, taking the ball in Game 1 of the NLDS vs. San Francisco Giants (L, 5.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 2 K).
2013
Washington's Opening Day starter for a 2nd straight year reached the 30-start threshold for the first time...recorded 500th career strikeout (Christian Yelich) in 426.1 career innings, Sept. vs MIA (night)...reached 500-K plateau in 3rd-fewest innings in MLB history (only Kerry Wood-404.1 and Mark Prior-421.2 required fewer innings)...earned just 8 wins due in part to DL stint (missed 2 starts), lack of run support (one or less run while in the game 10 times) and 10 unearned runs (tied for 4th-most in NL)...ranked among NL leaders in home ERA (3rd, 1.73), K/9 (4th, 9.4), batting average against (4th, .207), opponents OPS (5th, .588), WHIP (6th, 1.05) and ERA (8th, 3.00)...endured one DL stint (right lat, missed 12 games/2 starts, June 1-15).
2012
Displayed excellence by going 15-6 in first complete big league campaign...paced MLB in average fastball velocity (95.7mph)...allowed one or less earned run 13 times...earned Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award for pitchers...at the plate, paced all MLB pitchers in doubles and on-base percentage (.333)...also blasted first home run of career into visitor's bullpen during 9-3 victory on May 20 vs. BAL (off Wei-Yin Chen)...on the mound, ranked among NL leaders in K/9.0 (first, 11.2), strikeouts (tied 2nd, 195), wins (tied 4th, 15), ERA (6th, 2.94), quality starts (tied 5th, 20), K/BB ratio (tied 5th, 4.3/1), WHIP (7th, 1.12) and double-digit strikeout games (2nd, 5)...pitched well (7.0 innings, one run, no-decision) in first Opening Day start of career, April 5 at CHI (W2-1)...earned the win and tallied the game-winning RBI by tossed 6.0 scoreless innings and snapping a scoreless tie with a 2-out RBI single in the 5th inning in an eventual 4-0 victory, July 15 at MIA...with full health intact, made final start, Sept. 7 vs. MIA... the following day, was alerted by Mike Rizzo and Davey Johnson that he would not pitch again in '12...finished '12 having tossed 159.1 innings.
2011
Went 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA in 5 starts for Washington in long-anticipated return from Sept. 3, 2010 Tommy John surgery ... was up to old tricks, fanning 24 and walking just 2 in 24.0 innings ... did not allow a homer ... only two of 15 hits allowed went for extra-bases (both doubles) ... threw an ultra-efficient 13.7 pitches per inning ... recorded 100th career strikeout by fanning HOU's Jimmy Paredes on Sept. 11 in DC ... capped 2011 by fanning a season-high 10 in 6.0 scoreless innings to earn the victory as Washington won, 3-1, on Sept. 28 in final MLB contest at Sun Life Stadium ... joined the Nationals after making six rehab starts from Aug. 7-Sept. One for four different Nationals affiliates (Syracuse-1, Harrisburg-1, Potomac-1, Hagerstown-3) ... in those six starts, went a combined 1-1 with a 3.54 ERA (8 ER/20.1 IP) ... walked 3 and struck out 29 to render a 9.7/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 12.8 strikeouts per 9.0 innings ... after engaging in an extensive throwing program, made first start on Aug. 7 as Single-A Hagerstown hosted Greensboro in South Atlantic League action.
2010
Took MLB by storm with stellar 12-start rookie campaign, but saw season end prematurely after leaving Aug. 21 start at PHI with what was later revealed as a torn ulnar-collateral ligament in the right elbow...had right elbow repaired by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles, CA on Sept. 3...began rehab program less than a week post surgery...allowed 2 or less runs in 9 of 12 starts with Washington...registered as many or more strikeouts than innings pitched in 11 of 12 starts, with the exception being a 4-K, 4.1-inning effort on Aug. 10 vs. FLA...fanned 12.2 batters per 9.0 innings (SFG's Tim Lincecum paced qualified MLB pitchers at 9.8)...struck out 33.6 percent of batters faced (92 of 274), tops among MLB starting pitchers (TOR's Brandon Morrow ranked 2nd at 28.3%)...despite accepting just 12 assignments, ranked 3rd among Nationals with 92 strikeouts...with the entire MLB community watching, made MLB debut in a 5-2 win on June 8 vs. PIT...the debut came one day shy of the one-year anniversary of being drafted first-overall by the Nationals... struck out 14 Pirates in 7.0 dazzling/dominant innings...in that start, became only the 2nd pitcher since '87 (the year STATS, Inc. began charting pitches) to fan 14-plus and throw less than 100 pitches in a game (on April 9, 2003 at Wrigley Field, MON's Javier Vazquez struck out 14 in 7.0 innings and required just 96 pitches)...only 2 pitchers ever struck out more in an MLB debut: both HOU's J.R. Richard (Sept. 5, 1971 at SFG) and BRK's Karl Spooner (Sept. 22, 1954 vs. NYG) fanned 15...by striking out the final 7 Pirates faced, became just the 2nd player to fan 7 straight batters in an MLB debut (BAL's Sammy Stewart did so on Sept. 1, 1978 vs. CWS)...with 14 K's in 7.0 walkless innings, became just the 4th rookie to fan 14 or more in a single game and not issue a walk...the other 3 were Roger Clemens (16 SO, Aug. 21, 1984 vs. KCR), Dwight Gooden (16 SO on both Sept. 12, 1984 vs. PIT and Sept. 17, 1984 at PHI) and Kerry Wood (20 SO on May 6, 1998 vs. HOU)...in 3rd big league start, struck out 10 ChiSox in 7.0 innings on June 18 in DC...when starting, Washington went 8-4...went 4-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 6 Triple-A International League starts with the Syracuse Chiefs...was promoted to Syracuse on May 4 after making 5 starts with the Harrisburg Senators... finished 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 5 Double-A Eastern League starts...combined to go 7-2 with a 1.43 ERA in 11 starts for the Nationals' top 2 affiliates...allowed just one home run (Rene Rivera, May 26 vs. Scranton/W-B) in those 11 starts or 55.1 innings...fanned 65 and walked just 13, good for a 5.0/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 10.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched...in 11 minor-league starts, batting average against was .158 (31-for-196).
2009
Professional:
Did not pitch in the Nationals system after signing on August 16 at 11:58:43 p.m. (77 seconds before deadline)...after signing, worked out in DC in/around the Nationals for the better part of a month...gained first pro exposure during the Nationals' 2009 Instructional League, which took place in Viera, FL...in 2 Instructional League outings, worked 5.0 innings before heading to Phoenix to participate in the prestigious Arizona Fall League...in 5 AFL starts, went 4-1 with a 4.26 ERA...ERA was skewed by one tough outing (7 ER allowed, October 22 at Peoria Javelinas)... otherwise, ERA would have been 1.10...walked 7 and struck out 23 in 19.0 AFL innings (3.3/1 K-to-BB ratio, 10.9 K's per 9.0 innings)...was to start AFL Championship game on Nov. 21, but suffered freakish knee injury during the Phoenix Desert Dogs batting practice on November 19...one day later, a precautionary exam performed today by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles revealed patellar subluxation in the left knee...the injury's treatment included rest and physical therapy, but did not require surgery...is expected to be 100 percent for 2010 Spring Training.
SDSU:
2009 recipient of both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy...posted 13 double-digit strikeout totals...worked scoreless ball 7 times in 15 starts...regular season and conference-tournament efforts-SDSU went 14-0 when pitching-were largely responsible for the Aztecs securing their first NCAA Regional berth since 1991...went 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA (16 ER/109.0 IP) in 15 starts as a junior for Tony Gwynn's Aztecs...fanned an NCAA-best 195 in 109.0 innings as a junior, or 16.1 K's per 9.0 innings (tops in NCAA), en route to a 10.3/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio...did not issue more than two walks in any game, and walked one or fewer batters in 10 of 15 starting assignments...on May 8, in front of capacity crowd at Tony Gwynn Stadium, struck out 17 while no-hitting Air Force.
