Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, last year's World Series Most Valuable Player, will have season-ending surgery on his right hand, the Major League Baseball champions announced Saturday.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez announced the decision a day after revealing that Strasburg, 32, had been diagnosed with carpal tunnel neuritis in his right hand.
"He's going to be missed, no matter what," Martinez said Friday. "The rest of these guys, they know what they need to do. They will pick up the slack and we'll go from there."
American Strasburg, who signed a seven-year deal worth $245 million (207.7 million euros) in December, was placed on the 60-day disabled list after meeting with a nerve specialist.
Tingling began in the nerves of Strasburg's right hand late in July's pre-season training camp and he missed his first two scheduled starts of a campaign delayed and shortened by the coronavirus.
Strasburg managed only five innings in two appearances, going only two-thirds of an inning last week after throwing just 16 pitches against Baltimore. He is 0-1 this year with a 10.80 earned-run average and two strikeouts.
With the second-worst record in the National League at 9-13, the Nationals share last place with Philadelphia in the NL East division, four games behind pace-setting Atlanta.