History of Stephen Strasburg in Timeline
Stephen Strasburg, a former professional baseball pitcher, played his entire 13-year MLB career with the Washington Nationals. Drafted first overall in 2009, Strasburg was a three-time All-Star and played a pivotal role for the Nationals. His career, however, was significantly impacted by injuries, particularly thoracic outlet syndrome, which ultimately led to his retirement. Despite the challenges, Strasburg's early career was marked by exceptional talent and high expectations, solidifying his place as a notable figure in baseball.
1954: Karl Spooner's Debut
In 1954, Karl Spooner struck out 15 in his debut.
1971: J.R. Richard's Debut
In 1971, J.R. Richard struck out 15 in his debut.
1971: Richard's Strikeout Record
In 1971, J.R. Richard struck out 29 in his first three starts, a record broken by Strasburg.
July 20, 1988: Stephen Strasburg's Birth
On July 20, 1988, Stephen James Strasburg was born. He is an American former professional baseball pitcher.
2001: Prior's Signing Bonus
In 2001, Mark Prior previously held the record for the highest signing bonus, signing for $10.5 million.
2006: Scholar-Athlete of the Year
In 2006, Stephen Strasburg was named his school's Scholar-Athlete of the Year at West Hills High School, also earning second-team all-league honors and team MVP.
2007: NECBL First Team Selection
In the summer of 2007, Stephen Strasburg played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), and was named to the NECBL First Team as a closer, also chosen as Top Pro Prospect and Top Relief Pitcher.
June 24, 2008: Named to US National Baseball Team
On June 24, 2008, Stephen Strasburg was named to the United States national baseball team and participated in the 2008 World University Baseball Championship, winning the gold medal.
2008: USA Baseball Player of the Year
In 2008, Stephen Strasburg earned a bronze medal at the Olympics and won the USA Baseball Richard W. "Dick" Case Player of the Year Award.
2008: Olympics Bronze Medal
In 2008, Stephen Strasburg pitched for the United States national baseball team at the Summer Olympics, winning the bronze medal.
2008: Converted to Starting Pitcher
In 2008, Stephen Strasburg was converted to a full-time starting pitcher as a sophomore, achieving a 1.58 ERA and 134 strikeouts.
2008: Summer Olympics Selection
In 2008, Stephen Strasburg was selected for the United States national team at the Summer Olympics in Beijing and one-hit the Netherlands over seven innings in his first start.
May 8, 2009: First Career No-Hitter
On May 8, 2009, Stephen Strasburg threw his first career no-hitter while striking out 17 Air Force Falcons batters.
June 9, 2009: Drafted Number One Overall
On June 9, 2009, Stephen Strasburg was drafted number one overall in the Major League Baseball draft by the Washington Nationals.
August 17, 2009: Record-Breaking Contract
On August 17, 2009, Stephen Strasburg signed a record-breaking four-year, $15.1 million contract with the Washington Nationals.
November 2, 2009: Pitcher of the Week
For the week of November 2, 2009, Stephen Strasburg won Pitcher of the Week honors in the Arizona Fall League.
2009: Drafted First Overall
In 2009, Stephen Strasburg was selected by the Washington Nationals with the first overall pick in the MLB draft.
January 9, 2010: Stephen Strasburg marries Rachel Lackey
On January 9, 2010, Stephen Strasburg married Rachel Lackey, whom he met at San Diego State University.
April 11, 2010: Senators Debut
On April 11, 2010, Stephen Strasburg won his debut with the Harrisburg Senators, allowing four hits and four runs (one earned) while striking out eight batters.
May 4, 2010: Promotion to Syracuse Chiefs
On May 4, 2010, Stephen Strasburg was promoted to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League.
June 8, 2010: MLB Debut
On June 8, 2010, Stephen Strasburg made his major-league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out 14 and setting a new team strikeout record. The event was colloquially known as "Strasmas".
June 2010: MLB Debut
In June 2010, Stephen Strasburg made his major league debut, producing a franchise-record 14 strikeouts.
July 2010: Disabled List Placement
In July 2010, Stephen Strasburg was placed on the disabled list with an inflamed right shoulder.
2010: Top Prospect
Before the 2010 season, Stephen Strasburg was named by Baseball America as the top pitching prospect and the second-best overall prospect.
2010: Tommy John Surgery and Fastball Velocity
In 2010, Stephen Strasburg underwent Tommy John surgery, but his fastball velocity was not significantly affected. He was also one of three starting pitchers to have pitches over 100 mph at least 21 times.
2010: Topps All-Star Selection
In the 2010 season, Stephen Strasburg was named a pitcher on the 2010 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team.
2010: Pitch Repertoire in 2010
In the 2010 season, Stephen Strasburg's primary pitch was a four-seam fastball, with velocities recorded as high as 100 mph. He was one of only three starting pitchers to throw pitches over 100 mph at least 21 times.
August 7, 2011: Rehab Start
On August 7, 2011, Stephen Strasburg made his first rehab start for the Hagerstown Suns.
September 6, 2011: Return to the Nationals
On September 6, 2011, Stephen Strasburg rejoined the Nationals after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but only pitched 24 innings that year.
2011: Limited Innings in 2011 due to Injuries
In 2011, injuries limited Stephen Strasburg to 127+1⁄3 innings, his lowest output since 2011. He recorded a 3.46 ERA and won 11 games.
2011: Consultation on Innings Limit
In 2011, surgeon Dr. Lewis Yocum agreed that Stephen Strasburg's 2012 innings total should be limited as part of his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery.
April 2012: NL Pitcher of the Month
In April 2012, Stephen Strasburg was named NL Pitcher of the Month after accumulating an NL-best 34 strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA.
2012: Fastest Four-Seam Fastball in 2012
During the 2012 season, Stephen Strasburg had the fastest four-seam fastball among starting pitchers, averaging 96.5 miles per hour (155 km/h).
2012: All-Star Selection
In 2012, Stephen Strasburg had a successful return to form and was selected to play in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game.
2012: End of 2012 Season
In 2012, Stephen Strasburg's season concluded early after a rough outing on September 8. He was left off the postseason roster, finishing with a 15-6 record, a 3.16 ERA, and a Silver Slugger Award.
2012: Innings Limit Decision
In 2012, the Nationals decided to limit Stephen Strasburg's innings as a precaution due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery and his low innings total in 2011.
2012: High Strikeout Rate in 2012
Through the 2012 season, Stephen Strasburg had a high strikeout rate of 11.2 per 9 innings and a career strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.67. He also had the highest whiff rate on his changeup among all starting pitchers.
April 1, 2013: Opening Day Start on April 1, 2013
On April 1, 2013, Stephen Strasburg pitched Opening Day for the Nationals, going seven scoreless innings and earning the win in a 2–0 victory.
August 11, 2013: First Career Complete Game on August 11, 2013
On August 11, 2013, Stephen Strasburg pitched his first career complete game, throwing a 6–0 shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies with 10 strikeouts.
August 17, 2013: First MLB Ejection on August 17, 2013
On August 17, 2013, Stephen Strasburg was ejected for the first time in his MLB career for intentionally pitching at Braves batter Andrelton Simmons.
June 24, 2014: Decision to Quit Chewing Tobacco on June 24, 2014
On June 24, 2014, Stephen Strasburg stated his intention to stop chewing tobacco following the death of his college coach, Tony Gwynn.
2014: Adjustment in Pitching Mechanics in 2014
During the 2014 season, Stephen Strasburg adjusted his pitching mechanics by moving his back foot to rest against the pitching rubber. He noticed an improvement in his balance and timing as a result.
2014: Led National League in Strikeouts
In 2014, Stephen Strasburg led the National League (NL) in strikeouts, with an average fastball of 94.8 miles per hour that year.
June 26, 2016: Placed on 15-day disabled list due to upper back strain
On June 26, 2016, Stephen Strasburg was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to an upper back strain.
2016: Addition of Slider-Cutter in 2016
In the 2016 season, Stephen Strasburg began regularly using a hybrid pitch described by his catcher Wilson Ramos as a "slider-cutter," which moved laterally at 87-91 mph.
May 27, 2017: Career-High 15 Strikeouts on May 27, 2017
On May 27, 2017, Stephen Strasburg struck out a career-high 15 batters in a game against the San Diego Padres.
2017: Lowest Home Runs Per Nine Innings in 2017
In the 2017 season, Stephen Strasburg led the majors in lowest home runs per nine innings (0.67). He was 15-4 with a 2.52 ERA.
2018: 2018 Season Performance
In 2018, Stephen Strasburg had a 10-7 record with a 3.74 ERA in 22 starts, striking out 156 batters in 130 innings.
2018: Relocation to Washington, D.C.
In 2018, the Strasburg family relocated full-time to Washington, D.C., living close to Nationals Park.
December 9, 2019: Signs Seven-Year Contract on December 9, 2019
On December 9, 2019, Stephen Strasburg agreed to a seven-year, $245 million contract to return to the Nationals, which included a request to keep Nationals Park open in the offseason for workouts.
2019: Leading NL in Wins in 2019
In 2019, Stephen Strasburg led the National League in wins (18) and finished second in strikeouts (251), achieving career highs in both categories.
2019: World Series MVP
In 2019, Stephen Strasburg recorded five postseason wins and was awarded the 2019 World Series MVP award, leading the Nationals to victory over the Houston Astros.
2019: 2019 Postseason Performance
In the 2019 postseason, Stephen Strasburg was named World Series Most Valuable Player after earning two wins in two appearances, and he and Juan Soto were named co-winners of the Babe Ruth Award as the overall postseason MVPs.
August 9, 2020: 2020 Season Debut on August 9, 2020
Stephen Strasburg made his 2020 debut on August 9, 2020, after starting the shortened season on the injured list.
2021: Injury-Plagued 2021 Season
In 2021, Stephen Strasburg's season was cut short due to injuries, including right shoulder inflammation and a neck strain, ultimately requiring surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
June 9, 2022: Return and Immediate Setback in June 9, 2022
On June 9, 2022, Stephen Strasburg was activated from the IL and made one start, but he returned to the IL five days later with a stress reaction in the ribs.
February 15, 2023: Setback in Recovery on February 15, 2023
On February 15, 2023, Stephen Strasburg did not report to spring training due to a nerve-related setback in his recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome.
2023: Eovaldi Ties Postseason Record
In the 2023 postseason, Nathan Eovaldi tied the record for most victories in a single postseason, shared by Randy Johnson, Francisco Rodríguez, and Stephen Strasburg.
April 6, 2024: Retirement Announcement on April 6, 2024
On April 6, 2024, Stephen Strasburg officially retired from professional baseball.
2024: Relocation to San Diego in 2024
In 2024, the Strasburg family relocated to San Diego.
