Stephen Strasburg is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on July 20, 1988, in San Diego, California, and attended San Diego State University, where he played college baseball for the San Diego State Aztecs.
Strasburg's baseball career began in 2009 when he was drafted by the Washington Nationals as the first overall pick in the MLB draft. He quickly rose through the ranks and made his MLB debut on June 8, 2010, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his debut game, he struck out 14 batters, setting a new record for the most strikeouts in a debut game.
Throughout his career, Strasburg was known for his impressive pitching skills, including his fastball, curveball, and changeup. He was also known for his ability to strike out batters, with a career total of 1,704 strikeouts.
One of the highlights of Strasburg's career came in 2019 when he helped lead the Nationals to their first-ever World Series championship. In the postseason, he had a record of 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA and was named the World Series MVP.
Despite his success on the field, Strasburg's career was plagued by injuries. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2010, which caused him to miss most of the 2011 season. He also missed significant time in 2015 and 2016 due to various injuries.
In 2020, Strasburg opted out of the shortened MLB season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to the Nationals in 2021 but was limited to just five starts due to a neck injury that required surgery.
On September 1, 2021, Strasburg announced that he would be undergoing another surgery, this time on his right shoulder. On September 3, the Nationals announced that Strasburg would miss the remainder of the 2021 season and would likely miss the entire 2022 season as well.
Despite his injuries, Strasburg's career was still impressive. He had a career record of 112-58 with a 3.19 ERA and was a three-time All-Star. He also won the National League Pitcher of the Month award four times and the National League Pitcher of the Year award in 2019.
Overall, Stephen Strasburg was a dominant pitcher during his time in the MLB. While injuries may have cut his career short, his impressive performances on the field will be remembered by baseball fans for years to come.
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