With dominant start to 2016, Strasburg putting it all together

MIAMI - Stephen Strasburg was utterly dominant last night against the Marlins, tossing eight innings of scoreless, three-hit ball.

This, however, shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone who has watched Strasburg pitch so far in 2016. He's now 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA, after all.

But, if you've really been paying attention to Strasburg for a while, you still shouldn't be surprised by all this. Because he has been this good since last summer.

In 16 total starts since returning from the neck and upper back injury that plagued him for months, Strasburg is now 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 131 strikeouts and 19 walks over 103 2/3 innings.

Stop for a moment and consider how good that is compared to baseball's other aces. Clayton Kershaw, for example, over his last 16 starts is 10-1 with a 1.57 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 136 strikeouts and 17 walks over 114 2/3 innings. Zack Greinke is 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 98 strikeouts and 24 walks over 108 2/3 innings.

Strasburg's performance stacks up with the best. Whether the rest of baseball realizes it or not, the Nationals certainly do.

"He's coming into his own," said Bryce Harper, who knows a thing or two about that. "It's incredible. You see what he did in college, he had so much pressure going through the minors, coming up and everything, got hurt, trying to get back into it with his ankle and things like that. Then the second half last year was absolutely ridiculous. Now he's putting up video game numbers again."

Health has been a major key for Strasburg. Since battling through those annoying ailments during the first half of 2015, he has avoided significant injury, allowing him to prepare and then pitch on a regular schedule and regular routine.

But it's more than just that. Strasburg also continues to develop as a pitcher. He has begun throwing a slider with some regularity this season, adding another effective pitch to an already devastating repertoire. He has gotten better holding runners on base (opponents are only 4-for-8 on stolen base attempts against him in the last two seasons). And he's become more efficient, completing seven innings in nine of these last 16 starts, completing eight innings in three of his last seven starts.

"I'm just trying to get better every time," Strasburg said. "Trying to do my homework, trying to prepare for each outing. ... I don't really try to worry about injuries or anything like that. I think everything happens for a reason. Last year, it is what it is. But I learned a lot from it, so I'm just trying to build off of each outing."

If he keeps doing that, the rest of the baseball world will have no choice but to recognize what Strasburg has become at 27.

"For him, it's about staying healthy, like it is for all of us," Ryan Zimmerman said. "He's also matured and learned how to pitch a little more. And when you combine that with the stuff that he is, it's pretty dangerous."