MRI confirms Nationals’ Strasburg has upper-back strain

Giolito has since turned into the top prospect in baseball. But he has mowed down minor-league hitters since then, striking out 353 in 324 2/3 innings as a professional.

“He’s very poised and confident”. “We’re just going to take it start by start”. Certainly not the Nationals, who last June called up another 21-year-old former first-rounder (Joe Ross) directly from Harrisburg to fill a void created by a Stephen Strasburg injury (sound familiar?), and had great results.

He’ll be facing a tough rival, Dark Knight Matt Harvey, who’s had his fair share of problems but can turn it around anytime he wants because he is just that good of a pitcher. It went down as one of the biggest and most important moments in Nationals history.

The Nats aren’t saying what their long-term plans are for Giolito – whether he’ll fill a hole in the rotation and get sent back down or if there’s a chance for him to stick around.

“Yeah. So some work, some don’t, but we’re trying to ward off the Mets”.

“Every successful Major League pitcher has a Major League debut”, Rizzo said. The Nationals have experience dealing with highly regarded prospects.

And if somehow all that wasn’t enough – and, really, you should seek medical advice regarding that lack of a pulse – consider that MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo chose Giolito’s heater when piecing together his dream prospect. He hasn’t done it at the big league level. He has spent the entire year at Double-A Harrisburg, posting a 3.17 ERA in 14 starts despite struggling to a 4.3 BB/9 in that span. Over his last nine games he posted a 2.41 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings. Giolito’s performance during Strasburg’s absence may determine if the team will keep him in the majors for the stretch run or give him some more time in the minors.

“It’s based on our player development system”, Rizzo explained. In his case, all the facets of being a major league starting pitchers.

“I try to let them all be themselves”, he said.

“I trust in them that they’ve developed him the right way and that he’s prepared to take the next step, and when they say he’s the guy that should start against the Mets, we take him and we go with it”.