Strasburg Nats not pushing for a fast re

Strasburg, Nats not pushing for a fast return as he recovers March 24 Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey sharefacebooktwitterredditlink WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) The Washington Nationals are willing to wait for whatever Stephen Strasburg can deliver this season.That's the approach Dave Martinez is taking with the former World Series MVP, who is recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and has pitched a total of only 26 2-3 innings in the last two years.So if that means Strasburgs regular-season debut is delayed by a month and his output is only about half of a normal full season starter, so be it.Were not going to get 175 innings, Martinez said Thursday. Whatever we get out of him is going to be good. Thats the way Im looking at it. So if its 100 innings, hopefully we get the best 100 innings that we could po sibly get from him.A three-time All-Star, the 33-year-old Strasburg has been severely limited since helping pitch the Nationals to their first championship in 2019.Martinez is hoping that the Nationals will be able to get 20-25 starts from Strasburg, a total that likely wouldnt have him pitching in a major league game until May at the earliest.He has faith that once Strasburg does make his season debut, the right-hander can remain healthy and productive for the remainder Show All Chicago Bears Jersey of the season.What makes you really good is you overcome it and when youre healthy, youre the best, Martinez said he told Strasburg. Ive always said that, and he proved it in 2019 with what he did. He was the best.The thoracic outlet syndrome surgery marked another in an increasingly long list of health setbacks for Strasburg that include elbow reconstruction surgery, an ankle sprain and oblique strain and carpal tunnel surgery.It kills him, Martinez said. He wants to be out there. He wants to compete. I Jim McMahon Jersey know that because when I sit with him, when we have conversations, he wishing that none of this would ever happen that he could go out and be healthy all the time.Strasburg pitched an NL-high 209 innings in 2019 and then went 5-0 in five starts and a relief appearance in the postseason.Washington isnt pushing Strasburgs workload this spring.On March 15, Strasburg threw a 25-pitch live bullpen se sion. Afterward, he said he wouldnt let the MLB schedule dictate his build-up for the season. He intended to progre s at his own, deliberate pace during a spring training compre sed by the lockout.On Wednesday, Strasburg threw off flat ground before partaking in a bullpen mound drill where, instead of throwing a ball, he went through his mechanics while mock-throwing a towel.While Strasburg wont be ready for opening day, Martinez is holding out hope that the 12-year veteran could appear in a Grapefruit League game before the Nationals depart for their April 7 regular season opener against the New York Mets.I havent ruled him out, Martinez said.As Strasburg continues to build arm strength, hes also filling some of the leadership void created when the Nationals traded Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers last season.Martinez credits Strasburg with aiding the development Sherrick McManis Jersey of Josiah Gray, one of the players Washington received in that Scherzer trade.Hes talked a lot to Josiah Gray about pitching, which is kind of nice, Martinez said. Every now and then I see some other guys picking his brain. It doesnt nece sarily have to be a starter. It could be a reliever, too.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports in this topic Major League Baseball Washington Nationals share Mbapp is bringing soccer to a new dimension at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldos precision 19 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Poland finds its true level at World Cup, beaten by the best Poland heads home from the World Cup as the latest team unable to resist an inspired Kylian Mbapp 19 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar's 1 liquor store Qatar's strict rules regarding alcohol have drawn attention as it hosts the World Kyle Long Jersey Cup 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Sterling leaves England World Cup camp after home break-in England forward Raheem Sterling has left his teams World Cup camp in Qatar and returned to the U.K. after a break-in at his home 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ronaldo looks to shine like Mbapp and Me si at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo has been overshadowed by the brilliance of Lionel Me si and Kylian Mbapp so far at the World Cup 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS