Nationals three-time All-Star pitcher Strasburg back on IL
Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg is back to the injured list after feeling discomfort following a bullpen session.
Strasburg has made one start this season, his first since he had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last summer.
The 33-year-old righthander had been scheduled to start tonight against the Atlanta Braves.
“He threw his bullpen (on Saturday). The next day he didn't feel so good,” manager Dave Martinez said. “We were hoping it was just something that would go away. It didn't.”
Strasburg, the 2019 World Series MVP, signed a sevenyear, $245 million contract to remain with the Nationals after their championship season. He has made eight starts since, going 1-4 with a 6.89 ERA in those games.
He took the loss Thursday night at Miami, allowing seven runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
“He said he felt good after the game,” Martinez said. “He said (his) legs felt fatigued, which was normal. But other than that, he said he felt fine.” DONALDSON'S SUSPENSION UPHELD >> Major League Baseball has upheld Josh Donaldson's one-game suspension, a penalty that was assessed after the New York Yankees third baseman made a remark to White Sox star Tim Anderson about Jackie Robinson that Chicago manager Tony La Russa called racist.
MLB special adviser John McHale upheld the penalty after hearing Donaldson's appeal on Thursday, a person familiar with the discipline told The Associated Press.
Donaldson's fine was cut in half by McHale to $5,000, the person said. Donaldson will serve the penalty during the Yankees' series opener against Tampa Bay tonight.
Michael Hill, MLB's senior vice president for on-field operations, announced the original penalty on May 23, two days after Donaldson made multiple references to Robinson while talking to Anderson during a game.
Robinson broke the MLB color barrier in 1947.
A three-time All-Star and the 2015 AL MVP with Toronto, Donaldson, the former A's star, said he was referring to a 2019 Sports Illustrated article in which Anderson, who is Black, was quoted as saying: “I kind of feel like today's Jackie Robinson ... because he changed the game, and I feel like I'm getting to a point to where I need to change the game.”
Donaldson, who is white, said he had “joked around” with Anderson in the past using the reference. Donaldson made a public apology to the Robinson family.
“I think everybody wanted to have a say. But they don't know my heart,” Donaldson said on June 1. “I do feel bad that the Robinson family — I never wanted them to feel their name should ever be regarded in a bad light.” TIGERS' RODRIGUEZ ON RESTRICTED LIST >> Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez has been placed on the restricted list.
Tigers general manager Al Avila said that Rodriguez informed the Tigers that he will not rejoin the team at this time due to personal matters.
The Tigers signed Rodriguez to a $77 million, fiveyear contract last November. He is 1-3 with a 4.38 ERA in eight starts.
The 29-year-old Rodriguez, who spent his first six seasons with the Boston Red Sox, has not pitched for the Tigers since May 18, when he left a game against Tampa Bay in the first inning with sprained ribs.