NATS PUT STRASBURG ON IL
The Washington Nationals placed right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day injured list Sunday because of right shoulder inflammation.
The 2019 World Series MVP was set to start against the Diamondbacks. He will now be replaced by right-hander Paolo Espino after the Nationals selected his contract. It is the fourth career start for the 34-yearold Espino.
“We shut him down, put him on the IL,” manager Dave Martinez said.
“He had to get an MRI on the shoulder. He’s got some inflammation on his shoulder so we want to be smart. There’s going to be no timetable when he comes back. Hopefully we get him back soon,” he said.
Strasburg, 32, is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts this season. He gave up three homers and seven earned runs in four innings in his last start, a 14-3 loss at St. Louis on Tuesday. His move to the IL was retroactive to Thursday.
Martinez said Strasburg — the former San Diego
State star who signed a $245 million, seven-year contract with Washington before the 2020 season — threw his regular bullpen session this week and looked good. Strasburg’s shoulder discomfort came after that bullpen session.
Yankees’ Bruce, 34, retires
Jay Bruce had seen enough. Having made the Yankees’ opening-day roster, he couldn’t stomach his poor start to the season.
So the three-time AllStar outfielder decided to retire Sunday, just 15 days past his 34th birthday.
“Just the consistent underperformance for me,” he said before the game against Tampa Bay, his voice quavering at times. “Felt like I wasn’t able to do it at a level that was acceptable for myself.”
Bruce informed Yankees manager Aaron Boone of his decision during a 20-minute meeting in the manager’s office on Friday, then made a public announcement before Sunday’s game. He received an ovation when shown on the video board before the eighth inning but did not get in the game.
Bruce went to spring training with the Yankees on a minor league contract and made the major league roster as a first baseman when Luke Voit injured a knee, earning a $1.35 million oneyear deal.
Twins still sidelined
Instead of playing amid 80-degree afternoon heat in Anaheim before jetting off to Oakland in time for today’s series opener with the Athletics, the Twins saw hardly much sun at all.
Maybe some muted rays from behind their hotel room windows, just a fraction of a perfect SoCal spring Sunday.
After calling off two of the three games against Anaheim, MLB also postponed today’s game at the Athletics while the Twins deal with COVID-19 issues on the team. There are four positive cases on the Twins, one staff member and three players.
Notable
Giants closer Jake McGee and right-hander Logan Webb went on the injured list before Sunday’s game at Miami because they’re feeling lingering effects from the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his second pitching start of the season Tuesday against the Rangers, the Angels announced. It will be Ohtani’s first time pitching in a game since April 4 because of a blister on his right middle finger.