Nationals News: Washington Gets Positive Stephen Strasburg Injury Update

Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg has been out of the club's rotation since landing on the injured list back on June 2 with a neck strain. However, he faced a setback last week when he experienced neck discomfort during his rehab. While that news certainly worried some fans, Monday's injury update was certainly a lot more positive.

As of Monday, Strasburg is now throwing off the bullpen mound, according to MASN Sports' Mark Zuckerman. Considering how bullpen sessions happen to be one of the bigger steps when it comes to a pitcher returning to the action, Nationals fans should be optimistic about this news.

Stephen Strasburg Injury Update

Strasburg has been the model of consistency ever since being drafted first overall by Washington in 2009. After over a decade, he ranks second in all-time Nationals wins (113), and third in win-loss percentage (64.9%) and WHIP (1.093).

Nevertheless, Washington is 43-49 on the 2021 MLB season and sits 6.0 games back of the New York Mets for first in the NL East. The hope is that Strasburg looks like his old self whenever he returns to help his club go on a playoff run. He hadn't looked like his usual self through his five appearances before landing on the IL, having posted a 1-2 record with a 4.57 ERA and 1.385 WHIP. Fortunately, sometimes time away from the game can do wonders for a player.

Whether or not Strasburg returns to the starting rotation sooner rather than later, FanDuel Sportsbook is projecting them to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the second half of the 2021 MLB season. Washington's +6500 odds to win the World Series rank 17th across the league.

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