Stephen Strasburg, pitcher … and hitter

Stephen Strasburg pitching seven years ago today at Atlanta (Associated Press photo)

Stephen Strasburg becomes the first – and only – Washington Nationals pitcher to pick up two hits in the same inning during a 13-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves seven years ago today before a Thursday night crowd of 39,363 in Georgia.‍

Strasburg’s handiwork comes in an eight-run third inning, which he leads off with a single to center field off Atlanta starter Kyle Wright and later caps with a three-run homer to left field off a 92-mph fastball from reliever Touki Toussaint.

Stephen Strasburg hitting seven years ago today at Atlanta (Associated Press photo)

Strasburg finishes the game with three hits and five runs batted in, another single-game franchise record for a pitcher since the team relocates to Washington from Montreal after the 2004 season.

Strasburg also gets the victory, his 12th of the 2019 season.

Strasburg eventually wins a career-high 18 games during the regular season in 2019, capping that with five more wins in the postseason as the Nationals capture their first – and, so far, only – World Series title.

With that run through the playoffs, Strasburg receives a seven-year contract extension worth $245 million.

Alas for Strasburg, his career derails after the 2019 season as injuries limit him to only 31 innings over the next three years before he throws his last pitch for the Nationals on June 9, 2022.

Alas for the Nationals, they still are paying off that $245 million contract.

For those wondering, the injuries turn out to cost the Nationals an average of $7.9 million for each full inning Strasburg gives them from 2020 until midway through the 2022 season.

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