Mar 28, 2015; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) throws against the New York Mets at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The Candidates
Max Scherzer (age 30) – 2014 Stats: 18-5, 33 GS, 220.1 IP, 3.15 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 1.175 WHIP, 252 SO, 63 BB, 18 HR. Coming off his 2013 AL Cy Young Award-winning season, Scherzer continued his dominance of American League bats with Detroit, earning a trip to the All-Star Game and finishing 5th in Cy Young voting. He has been a workhorse, making at least 30 starts in every season of his career, save his rookie season. Now that he has returned to the National League, Scherzer is expected to climb to even greater heights, but will they be higher than those of his other teammates?
Stephen Strasburg (26) – 2014 Stats: 14-11, 34 GS, 215.0 IP, 3.14 ERA, 2.94 FIP, 1.121 WHIP, 242 SO, 43 BB, 23 HR. Nats fans heading out to Opening Day may be a little confused during the top of the 1st inning, as there hasn’t been a pitcher out there without the name Strasburg since 2011. When he was drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in 2009, scouts and analysts alike had him dubbed as a once in a generation talent, with a ticket to Cooperstown already punched. While he hasn’t lived up to these lofty expectations, Strasburg is undoubtedly one of the top pitchers in the game. Could this be the year he makes the leap from very good to superstar?
Jordan Zimmermann (29) – 2014 Stats: 14-5, 32 GS, 199.2 IP, 2.66 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 1.072 WHIP, 182 SO, 29 BB, 13 HR. The quiet Wisconsin native has been a key component of the Washington pitching staff for four years, silently putting up increasingly dominant numbers. He was unable to avoid the spotlight last season, however, as he became the first pitcher in Washington Nationals history to throw a no-hitter. With his impending free agency looming, all eyes are on Zimmermann to make a case for a Scherzer-esque contract next offseason. Will that translate to even greater success on the field?
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