WASHINGTON — Two years later, Stephen Strasburg is ready to make an imprint on the NL Division Series.
After missing the Nationals’ last playoff appearance in 2012, as team officials kept the fireballing right-hander on a strict innings count that ended his season in September, the shackles are gone. The Nationals will open the NLDS against the Giants on Friday, and the 26-year-old Strasburg will have the ball.
Nationals manager Matt Williams certainly had plenty of choices, from a loaded rotation that includes two of the NL’s top-10 ERA leaders — Doug Fister (2.41) and Jordan Zimmermann (2.66) — and another strong option behind Strasburg in lefty Gio Gonzalez.
“Just talking to guys who have been in this position before — obviously this is brand new for me — they all say it’s just still the same game,” Strasburg said Thursday at Nationals Park. “You’ve still got to go out there and focus on the things you can control. This game is funny, so you’ve just really got to keep your composure and you’ve got to keep dialing.”
Strasburg went 14-11 with a 3.14 ERA over 34 starts for the Nationals this season. But he was a much better pitcher at Nationals Park, where opposing hitters reached base against him at a .267 clip. On the road, that number swelled to .308.
“Over the last month, everybody has been real good — they’ve pitched really well,” Williams said. “Stephen in particular has gotten stronger as this month as gone on. His fastball velocity has ticked up each month during the course of the season. He’s healthy and strong, and he’s looking forward to this opportunity.”
It’s understandable that 2012 is still a topic Strasburg would prefer to avoid. After returning from Tommy John surgery, Strasburg was shut down upon reaching his innings cap in September and watched from the sidelines as the Nationals lost the NLDS in five games to the Cardinals.
The Nationals had entered that postseason regarded as the team to beat in the National League, but were finished after just one round of the playoffs.
Is Strasburg more appreciative of this situation given that he sat out the NLDS two years ago?
“I’ve been asked that question so many times, and I try not to look back on what it was like two years ago,” Strasburg said. “I’m just trying to live in the present, and I’m excited for getting the chance now.”
His mound opponent will be veteran Jake Peavy, who the Giants acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Red Sox. The right-hander made five career postseason starts with the Padres and Red Sox in which he went 0-3 with a 9.27 ERA.
But Peavy has dominated in two months with the Giants, going 6-4 with a 2.17 ERA. Included was a game at Citi Field against the Mets in which he and Jacob deGrom each took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. DeGrom ultimately won the showdown, 4-2, with neither pitching a no-hitter.
Strasburg grew up in the San Diego area watching Peavy, and the two have become friends in recent years.
“I am a big Stephen fan — we talk and shoot texts back and forth,” Peavy said. “For [Friday] it will be different. I will be trying to beat him with everything I’ve got. He is a great competitor. We all know how talented the guy is.
“It’s a neat story behind the story. We are buddies and come from the same upbringing.”