Nationals decide to give Strasburg some rest
BALTIMORE — Stephen Strasburg’s weary right elbow was stiff and in dire need of some rest, so the Washington Nationals put their winningest pitcher on the 15-day disabled list Monday.
The right-hander was willing to pitch through the pain for the NL East-leading Nationals, but manager Dusty Baker had other plans.
“I told him we hadn’t won anything yet and that we had to look at the big picture,” Baker said. “Hopefully he’ll be good in September and hopefully in October.”
Baker expected Strasburg (15-3, 3.59 ERA) to spend the minimum amount of time on the DL.
“He knows how bad we need him to pitch,” the manager said. “I had to explain to him that it’s not hero time.”
Asked if he considered it to be a precautionary move, Strasburg replied, “One hundred percent.”
After bolting to a 15-1 start this season, Strasburg was 0-3 with a 14.66 ERA over his past three outings.
“The recovery after each start started to get a little bit more difficult,” the 28-yearold said. “I felt like I was losing range of motion and wasn’t able to get that back in between starts. I am trying to make it better than it ever was, I guess, and hopefully that will translate
into good performance down the road.”
ATHLETICS: The club fined Billy Butler and Danny Valencia on Monday after they were involved in a clubhouse fight last week that led to Butler being placed on the seven-day concussion list.
“There was an altercation in the clubhouse, we’re aware of it, both players have been disciplined and fined and we’re moving past it,” Oakland general manager David Forst said. “That’s it.”
PIRATES: Infielder David Freese has signed a two-year contract extension that takes him through the 2018 season.
The deal includes a club option for 2019.
Freese said, “It’s always good to be wanted and the Pirates made that clear when they offered the extension.”
The 33-year-old signed a one-year, $3 million contract as a free agent in March and is hitting .276 with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs in 107 games. The eight-year veteran has made 58 starts at third base and 26 at first base.
RANGERS: Texas cleared a spot on its active roster for Derek Holland to make his first start in two months, but it still has to make another move before the left-hander pitches today at Cincinnati. The team optioned right-hander Nick Martinez to Triple-A Round Rock.