Stephen Strasburg will make his Major League Baseball return as the opening day starter for the Washington Nationals when the team hosts the Miami Marlins on April 1. This will mark the second time the former No.1 overall draft pick will serve as the Nationals' opening day starter.
Strasburg was a key contributor to the Nationals NL East division championship turnaround last season, going 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA last season before he was shut down after 159 1/3 innings. The Nationals did not want to tax his arm, placing him on a pitch count following his return from Tommy John surgery.
The decision was controversial and widely debated with Washington headed to the playoffs last season. The Nationals lost to the Cardinals in a deciding fifth game of the NL division series last season. There in no word of a restriction planned for Strasburg this season.
Strasburg has spent the offseason working on holding runners on base, according to the Washington Post. Strasburg allowed 14 runners to steal bases, the most of any Nationals pitcher.
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