The Washington Nationals have placed right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day disabled list.
The move is retroactive to July 22, and there is no timetable for his return, manager Dave Martinez said Thursday. The team announced Strasburg's injury as a cervical nerve impingement.
Strasburg, who was scheduled to pitch Thursday at the Marlins, is scheduled to visit a neurologist in Los Angeles, Martinez said.
"His MRI on his shoulder came back clean," Martinez said. "He did a nerve test, and he has a slight impingement in his neck so he's going to see a neurologist."
On June 10, Strasburg hit the disabled list for the first time this season with shoulder inflammation. He made his return Friday against the Atlanta Braves, allowing six earned runs and eight hits in 4⅔ innings. In the top of the fifth, when he got back to the dugout after being pulled from the game, he and teammate Max Scherzer exchanged words in a heated discussion that quickly led to both hurlers exiting the dugout and walking down the tunnel toward the clubhouse. After the game, Martinez spent 15 minutes talking to Strasburg and Scherzer before the clubhouse opened up to reporters.
"It's part of family, man. You got to be in the family," Strasburg said about the incident after the game.
Said Martinez: "We had a really good conversation, I'll just say that. It was addressed. Look, they're very competitive. Everybody is. I'm glad we talked. It's over. Let's move forward. These guys are professionals. We're good. I'm good that we had the conversation. This stuff happens. I've been on teams where guys wanted to choke each other. It's a long season. They get it. They understand. We talk about it. I don't want to lose sleep about it. It was a really good conversation. I'll just leave it at that. Things are good."
Things have not been so good for the Nationals this season. Despite rookie skipper Martinez replacing veteran Dusty Baker, Washington was expected to win its third straight division title. Entering Thursday, the Nats were in third place with a 50-51 record and were seven games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. They were 5½ games behind the Braves for the second NL wild-card spot.
Injuries have played a key role in Washington's struggles. Besides Strasburg, second baseman Daniel Murphy, third baseman Anthony Rendon, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, catcher Matt Wieters and outfielder Adam Eaton have all spent time on the disabled list. Veteran utility man Howie Kendrick is also out for the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles in May. All-Star closer Sean Doolittle is currently on the DL with a foot injury.
Injuries are nothing new for Strasburg. The No. 1 pick in 2009, he underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2010. Since signing a seven-year, $175 million contract extension with Washington in May 2016, the 30-year-old right-hander has made five trips to the disabled list.
Last season, Strasburg made 28 starts, his highest total since 2014. He went 15-4 with a 2.52 ERA and finished third in the NL Cy Young voting. This year, he is 6-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 14 outings.
According to MLB.com, veteran pitcher Tommy Milone will be called up to take Strasburg's place against the Marlins on Thursday. A seven-year veteran, the 31-year-old lefty signed a minor league deal with the Nationals in December but didn't make the team out of spring training. In 20 starts with Triple-A Syracuse this season, Milone is 7-4 with a 4.19 ERA. Last year, in 17 games with the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets, Milone went 1-3 with a 7.63 ERA.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.