Stephen Strasburg scratched from Monday’s start due to an upper back strain

By Jun 20, 2016, 9:08 PM EDT
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
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Monday night’s marquee matchup between the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and the Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg is no more. Strasburg has been scratched from the start due to an upper back strain, Chase Hughes of CSN Mid-Atlantic reports. Yusmeiro Petit will make a spot start in his place.

Petit has made 17 appearances this season, all in relief, and has put up a 2.81 ERA with a 25/7 K/BB ratio in 32 innings.

This isn’t the first time Strasburg has dealt with back issues, but last year’s issue was a fibrolipoma (benign), which was surgically removed during the offseason. It’s worth noting that parts of Los Angeles County are under an excessive heat warning lasting until 8 PM PDT.

Strasburg owns a spotless 10-0 record with a 2.90 ERA and a 118/24 K/BB ratio in 93 innings over 14 starts this season.

Citing Elias, SportsTalk Live’s Rob Carlin notes that the Kershaw-Strasburg matchup would have been the second in baseball history — and the first in 116 years — featuring two pitchers with at least 10 wins and no more than one loss.

Padres claim 2-time All-Star catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from Mets

Associated PressMay 30, 2023, 11:24 AM EDT
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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SAN DIEGO — The scuffling San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from the New York Mets.

The two-time All-Star was designated for assignment after playing in three games for the Mets. He went 1 for 6 with three strikeouts and an RBI, looking shaky at times behind the plate.

With the disappointing Padres (24-29) getting meager offensive production at catcher, they hope Sánchez can provide a boost. Austin Nola is batting .131 with three extra-base hits and a paltry .434 OPS in 39 games. His part-time platoon partner, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, is hitting .170 with four extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 games since getting called up from the minors April 16.

Luis Campusano has been on the injured list since April 17 and is expected to be sidelined until around the All-Star break following left thumb surgery.

San Diego is responsible for just over $1 million in salary for Sánchez after assuming his $1.5 million, one-year contract.

The star-studded Padres have lost seven of 11 and are 3-3 on a nine-game East Coast trip. They open a three-game series at Miami.

San Diego becomes the third National League team to take a close look at the 30-year-old Sánchez this season. He spent time in the minors with San Francisco before getting released May 2 and signing a minor league contract a week later with the Mets, who were minus a couple of injured catchers at the time.

After hitting well in a short stint at Triple-A Syracuse, he was promoted to the big leagues May 19. When the Mets reinstated catcher Tomás Nido from the injured list last week, Sánchez was cut.

Sánchez’s best seasons came early in his career with the New York Yankees, where he was runner-up in 2016 AL Rookie of the Year voting and made the AL All-Star team in 2017 and 2019.

He was traded to Minnesota before the 2022 season and batted .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 128 games last year.

With the Padres, Sánchez could also be a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter, where 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is batting .245 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .670 OPS, and 37-year-old Matt Carpenter is hitting .174 with four homers, 21 RBIs and a .652 OPS.