A look at what's happening around the majors on Thursday:
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WELCOME BACK
Nationals star Stephen Strasburg is set to pitch in the majors for the first time since June 1, 2021, when he starts against the Marlins in Miami.
Strasburg, who turns 34 next month, has been sidelined for most of the past two seasons. He underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last summer.
The 2019 World Series MVP made three minor league rehab starts in the lead-up to his debut. Washington manager Dave Martinez says he won't put any limitations on the right-hander.
“We’ll see how far we can take him. We’ll keep a close eye on him,” Martinez said this week.
Strasburg signed a seven-year, $245 million contract to remain with the Nationals after their championship season. He has made seven starts since, going 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA in those games. The three-time All-Star is 113-61 with a 3.21 ERA in his career.
TROUT SITS
Mike Trout is listed as day to day after the Angels star exited a game because of tightness in his left groin.
The three-time AL MVP was out of the lineup Wednesday night as the Angels hosted Boston and tried to break a 13-game losing streak, tying for the longest in franchise history.
Trout ended a career-worst 0-for-26 slump Monday. He homered early in the game Tuesday, then grimaced while running out a double.
The outfielder is batting .284 with 14 home runs and a .989 OPS. He missed the final 119 games of last season with a left calf strain.
GOOD NEWS, NEW YORK
Mets stars Pete Alonso and Starling Marte got promising diagnoses from injuries suffered in San Diego, and both players think they could be back in a matter of days.
Alonso was hit in his right hand by a pitch on Tuesday, but X-rays and a CT scan showed no breaks or fractures. The hulking right-handed hitter, tied for the NL lead with 16 homers, is optimistic he won’t have to go on the injured list. He’s waiting for swelling to subside before planning his return, but still he called it “probably the best-case scenario.”
Marte left Tuesday's game with left quad tightness but said Wednesday he was feeling better and also hoping to avoid the IL.
Neither player was in the lineup Wednesday for the series finale against the Padres. New York is off Thursday before opening a series at the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
HEATING UP
Braves lefty Max Fried tries to win his fourth straight start when he pitches at home against Pittsburgh.
Fried (5-2, 2.74) has allowed just three runs in 20 innings during his winning string. He'll face J.T. Brubaker (0-5, 4.70).
Off the field, the 28-year-old Fried still has a salary arbitration hearing in the near future. The cases are usually decided by now, but the timetable was pushed back by the Major League Baseball lockout.
Fried has asked for a salary of $6.85 million and the Braves offered $6.6 million. He pitched six shutout innings in the World Series clincher last year and is off to a good start this season — by agreement between MLB and the players' union, no statistics or evidence from after March 1 are admissible in the arbitration heading other than contract and salary comparisons.
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