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Washington Nationals News: Will Stephen Strasburg rebound in 2016?

By Pablo Roa

Sep 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) is congratulated by Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams (9) after recording the final out of the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) is congratulated by Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams (9) after recording the final out of the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Today’s District Daily features stories on Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg and minor leaguer-turned-manager Josh Johnson.

Good evening DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.

In today’s Daily, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson discusses whether or not Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg can rebound in 2016. As Ladson notes, Strasburg was one of several Nationals players who were hampered by injuries last season.

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For the Nationals to return to their winning ways in 2016, several players have to stay healthy and productive — and Strasburg is certainly one of them. Strasburg, along with Max Scherzer, will be tasked with leading a starting rotation that lost a key member this offseason in Jordan Zimmermann.

Not only is he a key part of the rotation, but he’s also set to hit free agency after the season. A strong 2016 campaign could seal a lucrative, longterm deal for Strasburg and help send the Nationals to the postseason.

Also in today’s Daily, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post discusses how former Nationals minor leaguer Josh Johnson gave up his playing career for a chance to manage.

Be sure to check out both articles below, they’re definitely worth the read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals

Strasburg among Nationals on rebound for ’16?

(Bill Ladson, MLB.com)

WASHINGTON — The Nationals need to stay healthy in 2016 if they want to return to the postseason. Last season, 17 players went on the disabled list — mostly for lengthy periods.

MLB.com takes a look at Nationals players who could be “On the rebound” in 2016. Four of the six players listed below missed time in ’15 because of injuries.

C Wilson Ramos: He stayed healthy throughout the season. Privately, though, some people in the organization worried about Ramos’ game-calling skills. Ramos also had problems catching throws from the outfield. To make matters worse, he had his worst season as a hitter. This is a key year for Ramos because he is eligible for free agency after the ’16 season. Read full article here.

Longtime Nationals minor leaguer Josh Johnson gave up playing for chance to manage

(Chelsea Janes, Washington Post)

Josh Johnson toiled, if anyone ever did, on nine different teams in eight minor league baseball seasons, playing nine seasons before even reaching Class AAA. A few months ago, he decided to retire from the Syracuse Chiefs after 12 seasons in the minors, six in the Nationals organization. He never played in a major league game.

Timing made the difference in the end. When his chance at a major league spot came, he got hurt. So when a chance to secure a future in professional baseball came, he took it. Johnson ended his playing career by hitting .251 in 76 games as a 29-year-old utilityman with the Syracuse Chiefs in 2015. He will begin his coaching career as a 30-year-old manager with the Nationals’ Gulf Coast League team in 2016. He believes he could have played a year or two more. His timing is not typical. Read full article here.

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