John Matthews
WMAL.com
UPDATE 12:00pm — Several Washington National beat reporters are now confirming a report by MLB.com’s Jon Morosi this morning that Stephen Strasburg is now expected to start Game Four of the MLDS against the Cubs.
The team has yet to comment on the report, but Strasburg’s agent Scott Boras has told news outlets that his client will go if his health permits, and if the team assigns him to take the mound.
Strasburg was reporting – according to some reports – “flu-like symptoms” on Tuesday, and manager Dusty Baker told the media he was being scratched from Wednesday’s start because he was feeling “under the weather.”
If Strasburg does not start, the Nats will go with righthander Tanner Roark in Game 4.
CHICAGO — (WMAL) Where have you gone, Stephen Strasburg? The nation’s capital turns its lonely eyes to you…
After rain cancelled Game Four of the Nationals’ National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs, most in the baseball world saw the delay as a lucky break for Washington, because it surely meant the Nats would start baseball’s hottest pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, who would then be able to start Wednesday on his normal rest rotation.
The Nationals need every break they can get, because they trail the defending World Champions, 2 – 1 in the best-of-five series.
Only that’s not the way it’s working out.
About 30 minutes after Tuesday night’s game was called, Nationals Manager Dusty Baker announced Strasburg would not be able to pitch Wednesday because “he’s under the weather and his endurance is down.”
Strasburg told the team he had come up wheezing after taking a jog Tuesday, so he’ll be preparing to pitch in Game Five on Thursday at Nationals Park – assuming the Nats survive.
“A lot of my team is under the weather with the change of weather and the air conditioning in the hotel and the air conditioning here,” said Baker. “It’s just this time of the year for mold around Chicago — I think it’s mold. I mean, I have it, too,” he added.
Instead, the team will go with Tanner Roark in Game Four. Roark hasn’t started a game since September 27th, when he allowed six runs in 4 2/3 innings against the last-place Philadelphia Phillies.
Strasburg, on the other hand, held the Cubs without a hit for five innings in Game One, and allowed two unearned runs while striking out 10 batters in six innings of work.
“We have full confidence in Tanner,” Baker repeatedly told reporters.
He better. The Nationals are on the verge of being sent home without a series win for the fourth time in six years.
Starting pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Max Scherzer are both said to be available to pitch out of the bullpen Wednesday if needed.
But not Strasburg.
First pitch is at 4:08 pm EDT.
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