Right-hander Stephen Strasburg will get the Opening Day start for the Washington Nationals, manager Dusty Baker announced Sunday.
Washington opens the season on April 3 at Nationals Park against the Miami Marlins.
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Right-hander Stephen Strasburg will get the Opening Day start for the Washington Nationals, manager Dusty Baker announced Sunday. Washington opens the season on April 3 at Nationals Park against the Miami Marlins.
It will be the 28-year-old Strasburg's fourth Opening Day start but his first since 2014. In his previous starts to open the season from 2012-14, he struck out 18 in 20 innings while leading the Nationals to wins in all three games.
Strasburg won his first 13 decisions in 2016 but a partially torn tendon in his forearm caused his seventh trip to the disabled list and limited him to 24 starts. He finished his seventh major league season with a 15-4 record and 3.60 ERA in 147 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Max Scherzer was the Nationals' Opening Day starter the previous two seasons but the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner missed time this spring because of a stress fracture in his right ring finger.