Strasburg to pitch simulated game before making 2020 debut

Stephen Strasburg wants to face hitters in a real game as soon as possible. But before he can do that, he feels like he needs to face hitters in a simulated game.

Thus, Strasburg will pitch against his Nationals teammates Wednesday afternoon, perhaps the right-hander's final step before returning from a nerve impingement in his wrist to make his delayed season debut.

After Strasburg threw 31 pitches off the bullpen mound Sunday, manager Davey Martinez gave him the option of throwing another bullpen session in advance of a start or pitching a simulated game instead. Strasburg felt the simulated game, in which he'll throw roughly 15 pitches to multiple hitters in each of several "innings," was important.

"He's been throwing the ball well. He feels good," Martinez said today during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "He wants to see how he feels facing hitters tomorrow, and then we'll go from there."

Martinez didn't offer a game plan for Strasburg beyond the simulated game, but typically a pitcher would wait a full five days after that before pitching in a real game. This would essentially serve as a de facto minor league rehab assignment, in a season in which there are no minor leagues.

The Nationals do have the luxury of time because of their long weekend off and another scheduled off-day Thursday. They're starting Patrick Corbin and Max Scherzer the next two nights against the Mets on extra rest. Aníbal Sánchez could start Friday against the Orioles on normal rest, with Austin Voth or Erick Fedde starting Saturday and Corbin returning Sunday.

For Strasburg, there's a delicate balance between taking enough time to ensure he's fully healthy before making his season debut and not falling too far behind while rehabbing.

"It's funny, he wants to get back out there," Martinez said. "He says the longer time that he is not out there and not facing hitters, the worse he thinks he's going to be. So he wants to get going as quick as possible and get going as quick as possible. For us, that's a good thing. Having Stephen Strasburg out on the mound back in the rotation is awesome.

"But then again, we want to make sure he's 100 percent. We talked about this before: We don't want this to (morph) into something else. We want to make sure that we've nipped this whole thing in the bud and that when he's back out there, he's back out there."