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Stephen Strasburg 2020 Player Outlook: Can He Repeat Another Healthy Season?
5 years agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg had what could be considered a career season in 2019. The 31-year-old went 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 29.9% strikeout rate over 209 innings pitched in addition to being named World Series MVP. Strasburg utilized his curveball more than ever (30.7% usage) and the results show that this was a wise move; he posted a career-high 15.3% swinging-strike rate with the pitch and yielded a paltry .161 batting average against. Strasburg has posted excellent numbers on a per-start basis throughout his career, but the biggest worry for him is health. 2019 was just the second time that he pitched at least 200 innings in his career and was the first time since 2014. He is currently being drafted at about pick 29 as the ninth pitcher off the board. His upside is that of a top-six pitcher or so and it seems as though he is being drafted based on that upside. However, given his injury history and several high-floor hitters available in the pick 30 range, a value of around pick 40 for Strasburg seems safer. His skills are undeniable, but how much fantasy owners will get to use them is a lingering concern.
