Strasburg Hits The DL With Elbow Soreness, But There's No Need To Panic Quite Yet

ESPN - The Nationals have placed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 15-day DL with right elbow soreness. Washington has recalled pitcher A.J. Cole from Triple-A Syracuse. Cole will replace Strasburg as the Nationals’ starting pitcher Monday against the Orioles. Strasburg, 28, started 15-1 but is 0-3 in his past three starts, with a 14.66 ERA. The right-hander went 4 2/3, 5 1/3 and 1 2/3 innings in those games, in which opponents batted .414 against him.

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While Straburg going to the DL obviously isn’t sunshine and unicorns, I’m not ready to panic quite yet. He started the season unbelievably well, before falling off in his last few starts where you could just tell something was going on with him. But the reason I’m not ready to panic is because the Nats have such a commanding lead in the NL East, I’d rather Strasburg get healthy and not risk anything than battle through it.

These two Tweets make it seem more precautionary than serious:

Of course Strasburg has had elbow issues in the past. And of course Strasburg is a bit injury prone. And of course we all remember the great shut down season of 2012. Nobody wants a repeat of that. So I’m all aboard with letting him his treatment now, allowing him to feel 100% for the playoffs, and not worrying about him missing a few starts. If this comes out to be worse than originally reported, than we can start the panic. But not right now.