Washington Nationals

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg sits in the dugout in the bottom of the first inning as the Nationals host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg delivers in the top of the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg delivers in the top of the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg delivers in the top of the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg (left) and catcher Wilson Ramos (right) walk onto the field prior to the start of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg warms up near the warning track Sept. 6, 2011, as the Nationals host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in D.C. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos walks by at right, pitcher Stephen Strasburg warms up as the Nationals host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg delivers in the top of the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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Photographs by Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times Washington Nationals fans display their favorites Friday while watching the Nats take on the New York Mets at home.

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Photographs by Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times Tammy Hill of Woodbridge, Va., and Roger Harris of Catlett, Va., sport Washington Nationals jerseys bearing the name of pitcher Stephen Strasburg at Nationals Stadium on Friday. Strasburg returns to the majors Tuesday after elbow surgery.

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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Tom Milone (center) smiles in the dugout after hitting a three-run homer during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011, in Washington. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

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** FILE ** Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, shown with Class A Potomac, struck out four in six innings Thursday night for Class AA Harrisburg in his final rehab start. He's slated to pitch against Los Angeles at Nationals Park on Tuesday. (Associated Press)

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Washington Nationals' Ian Desmond (6) is tagged out by Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones (10) after being caught in a rundown in the first inning of a baseball game in Atlanta Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws to the Rochester Red Wings during a rehab start for the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs in a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in Sryacuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/The Post-Standard, Nicholas Lisi)

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Washington Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning of a baseball game on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

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Cincinnati Reds Miguel Cairo, center, gets congratulated by teammates Todd Frazier, left, and Joey Votto after hitting a single in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals to score Drew Stubbs to win the game 4-3 in Cincinnati on Friday, Aug. 26, 2011. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)