Washington Nationals star right-back Stephen Strasburg dropped the 15-3 victory in Baltimore on Friday after throwing just 16 pitches due to a lengthy nerve problem in his right hand, manager Dave Martinez said.
Strasburg will receive a CT scan on Saturday, Martinez said, adding that the pitcher felt numbness in his thumb and that the sensation arose in his wrist. The manager said he hopes Strasburg can kick back, but acknowledged, “I think the best thing is to shut him down” until the cause of the pain can be determined.
“I did not like what I saw,” Martinez said. “I told him then and there, ‘Hey, I do not want you to continue at this time.’ I talked to him after he came out, and I appreciated that he tried to unpack it. But I do not want this to become a bigger problem if something else goes wrong. “
Strasburg shook his right hand on the mound before walking to the dugout. Martinez said the team will investigate the issue closely in the coming days.
“We will really try to take care of him and get him back completely healthy,” Martinez said.
Strasburg declined to speak to reporters after the game through a team spokesman.
After starting his season off to tackle his bad hand, Strasburg made his second start of the year. His first away game came against the Orioles in a game that was lifted Sunday at Nationals Park and ended Friday at Camden Yards with Baltimore winning 6-2.
In Strasburg’s shortened second start, he gave up a solo homer to Anthony Santander and got two outs before going.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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