Stephen Strasburg Injury: Updates on Nationals Star's Calf and Return

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg exited against the Cincinnati Reds on June 4 with cramping in his calf. However, he has been cleared to return. 

Continue for updates.

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Strasburg Active vs. Phillies

Friday, June 10

MLB Lineups announced Strasburg will start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. 

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Strasburg Comments on Injury 

Tuesday, June 6

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Strasburg Can't Shake Injury Bug 

The 27-year-old hurler entered 2016 with big expectations on his shoulders after the departure of Jordan Zimmermann, and he has produced to the tune of a 9-0 record and a 2.69 ERA through his first 11 starts.

He began the season so impressively, in fact, that the Nats signed him to a seven-year, $175 million contract extension.

Strasburg has always been an elite talent, but injuries and inconsistency have prevented him from establishing himself as one of Major League Baseball's upper-echelon arms.

Although Strasburg led the National League in starts during the 2014 season with 34, he was limited to just 23 starts in 2015. He previously underwent Tommy John surgery in 2010 as well, so he has a fairly lengthy injury history.

The former All-Star can be dominant when he is healthy and on top of his game, and while he went just 11-7 with a 3.46 ERA last season, his 2.81 FIP, per Baseball-Reference.com, suggests that he was also somewhat unlucky.

Strasburg came into the 2016 campaign with the goal of remaining healthy and being a force deep into the season, according to James Wagner of the Washington Post:

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I'm going to continue to work throughout the season. It's not like you’re working from Day 1. You're looking to peak in September, October, the second half. It's like I've done it enough times to know that you're still going to be building throughout the course of the year. As far as getting the normal workload every five days, I feel like I'm ready for that.

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The Nationals have a talented, playoff-worthy team, but that could be in jeopardy if Strasburg continues to miss time with injuries.

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