WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time Stephen Strasburg was on the mound, the bright lights and high pressure of Game 6 of the World Series were shining down on him in a packed Minute Maid Park. On Friday, he was under the Florida sun in front of a matinee crowd at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches.
“The last time I was in a competitive setting was in a pretty big situation,” Strasburg said. “You try not to think about how you’re feeling out there, but it didn’t really have the same rush of adrenaline as the last start. You just try to roll with what you’ve got.”
The 2019 World Series Most Valuable Player Award winner made his Spring Training debut against the Rays in the Nationals’ 8-1 loss. The club had outlined for Strasburg to throw around 30 pitches over two innings. He ended up tossing 35 pitches (22 for strikes) with three hits, three runs, one walk, three strikeouts and one wild pitch over 1 1/3 frames before the Nats called on Paolo Espino out of the bullpen.
“It’s Spring Training for everybody,” Strasburg said. “It’s not the first time, it’s not going to be the last [time that happens]. I think the biggest thing I wanted to see today is, for the most part, I thought my curveball had [a] good sharp break to it. Got a little squirrely in the second inning. Threw some good changeups and threw some good fastballs [to] both sides of the plate.”
Friday was Strasburg's first outing since Oct. 29, when he fanned seven Astros over 8 1/3 innings in Washington's 7-2 Game 6 win and became the first pitcher to go 5-0 in a single postseason. Four months later, he threw a 1-2-3 first inning, then allowed two singles and a double in the Rays' three-run second.
Strasburg reviewed game video shortly after leaving the field. The 11th-year veteran noted areas in which he can focus, including his windup.
“I felt like I was having a tough time loading up on the back side,” he said. “I was being too quick, and my hips were getting out in front too early. It wasn’t really right.”
Manager Dave Martinez told Strasburg he "looked good" when he visited the mound, noting Strasburg had exceeded his allotted pitch count. Martinez wasn't surprised Strasburg had already studied his outing before the game had even ended.
“His fastball was coming out," Martinez said. "His breaking balls were pretty good, changeup was good. [He was] fighting his mechanics a little bit, but that’s why we have Spring Training. We’ll get him back out there."
This spring, the Nationals have been cognizant of Strasburg's strenuous postseason. He hurled 36 1/3 innings in the playoffs, on top of the National League-leading 209 frames from the regular season. Strasburg also is coming off an NL-best 18-win year. The team wanted him to go through non-game workouts to build him up to his first Spring Training start so he can stay healthy and make a push for another successful season. The plan is for him to pitch in another five days.
"I would say luckily, I have the luxury to kind of take my time early on in camp and just know that it is a long season," Strasburg said. "Before, and for a lot of guys, you’re ready to go Day 1 because you’re fighting for a job. Again, the biggest thing I wanted to see today was the stuff being there, and it was. Now it’s just about fine-tuning everything and sharpening it up a little bit."