WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg will take to the pitching mound for Wednesday night’s must-win Game 4 of the National League playoffs against the Chicago Cubs after all.
After a rain delay, questions about Strasburg’s health and a firestorm of social media reaction to the news that Tanner Roark would be taking over pitching duties, the Nationals announced Strasburg would start as pitcher in Wednesday night’s game.
After the official team announcement shortly before 1 p.m., Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo and Manager Dusty Baker briefed reporters about the decision.
Baker said Strasburg came to him Wednesday and told him, “I want the ball.” (The night before Baker said Strasburg wouldn’t be pitching in the rescheduled game because he was feeling “under the weather.”
Strasburg wasn’t pressured by anyone and is about “90 percent well,” Baker said. He said the team will treat it like a normal start.
Game 4 of the National League Division Series, with Tanner Roark as starting pitcher, was originally scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed because of rain. With the bad weather creating an extra day in the series, Strasburg was thought to be an option to start Game 4.
However, Baker at first quashed fan hopes Tuesday evening when he said Strasburg was still not feeling well enough to pitch in the rescheduled game.
“You know, a lot of my team is under the weather with the change of weather and the air conditioning in the hotel, and the air conditioning here,” Baker said. “This is the time of year for mold around Chicago. I think it’s mold because I have it, too.”
Asked Wednesday, Baker said when he left the Chicago ball park Tuesday night he was planning on starting Roark as pitcher. The “thing about baseball, things are subject to change,” Baker said.
Fans were not happy about the decision to start Roark, given that the rain delay gave Strasburg an extra day of rest before the game. Many took to social media to vent their frustrations.
nats should have waited until game was official tonight to have strasburg warm up, so he could have started rain-delayed game 4. mistake.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 10, 2017
Dusty Baker was literally given a gift from above by a rainout that allows him to start Strasburg on normal rest-and is sticking with Roark?
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) October 10, 2017
Strasburg can’t pitch in the playoffs because he’s “under the weather?” Well, I suppose that’s what all great athletes would say. Right, MJ? pic.twitter.com/0GF83U7Xe7
— Jason Foster (@ByJasonFoster) October 10, 2017
Hold up….Stephen Strasburg is not going to start because he’s sick??? In the playoffs. Getting paid $175 mil. What a
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) October 11, 2017
#Nationals fans: “Thank god for this rain delay, now we can start Strasburg Game 4.”
Nats: “We will start Tanner Roark.”
Nats fans: pic.twitter.com/cUsip8yump
— What the Sports (@realwtsports) October 10, 2017
