The Washington Nationals scratched right-hander Stephen Strasburg from Saturday night's start versus the New York Yankees with a nerve issue in his right hand, according to Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Strasburg received an injection, and he's hopeful it's a day-to-day situation. Erick Fedde started in his place.
The three-time All-Star expects to return to the rotation soon, but Strasburg said he won't take any unnecessary risks.
"I don't think it will keep me out too long," he said, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports. "To be frank, this season is kind of a mess to begin with. I've got to think about the big picture."
Strasburg, the first overall pick in the 2009 draft, re-signed with the Nationals last offseason, inking a seven-year, $245-million contract. He finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting in 2019 after posting an 18-6 record with a 3.32 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.
The 32-year-old was even more impressive in the postseason. He earned World Series MVP honors by going 2-0 against the Houston Astros while allowing four earned runs over 14 1/3 innings of work.
The Nationals have already been dealt a difficult hand to start the season with star outfielder Juan Soto on the shelf after testing positive for COVID-19.
