Stephen Strasburg gets NLDS Game 1 starter nod, Nationals waiting on Max Scherzer
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Stephen Strasburg will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series
against the Cubs Friday night, Nationals Manager Dusty Baker announced
Thursday morning.
It will be Strasburg’s second career postseason start. The 29-year-old
right-hander, who was shut down for the 2012 playoffs, started Game 1 of the
2014 NLDS against the Giants. He allowed two runs (one earned) on eight hits
over five innings in a loss.
The decision to start Strasburg was increasingly likely the longer Max
Scherzer went without throwing off a mound after walking off the field at
Nationals Park Saturday night with right hamstring tightness. Scherzer would
have started Game 1 if he were 100 percent healthy, but he isn’t. He was
scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, but that was pushed back to
Thursday. He threw on flat ground instead.
Baker said Scherzer will start either Game 2 or Game 3. His status for Game 2
will be evaluated after his scheduled bullpen session Thursday. If the
Nationals deem Scherzer unready, Gio Gonzalez will start Game 2 Saturday
evening. Baker, however, maintained Scherzer will start Game 3, which is
scheduled for Monday at Wrigley Field.
One could argue Strasburg should have started Game 1 regardless of Scherzer’
s situation. While Scherzer compiled a better season from start to finish,
Strasburg was baseball’s best starting pitcher from when he came off the
disabled list Aug. 19 through the end of the regular season. Over his final
eight starts, Strasburg had a 0.84 ERA. He compiled 63 strikeouts to 10 walks
and held hitters to a .171 batting average across 53 2/3 innings.