#TBT: Stephen Strasburg's Electric MLB Debut

With Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg returning to the mound on Thursday, let's take a look back at his highly-anticipated MLB Debut on June 8, 2010.

Thursday night is one that Washington Nationals fans have been awaiting for quite some time with the return of starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg.

The right-hander underwent thoracic outlet syndrome on July 27, 2021, ending his season and pushing back his 2022 debut into early June. 

Coincidentally, his 2022 debut will happen one day after the 12-year anniversary of his MLB debut: June 8, 2010.

That day will go in the annals of MLB history for many reasons with the hype surrounding the No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLB Draft and the No. 1 prospect in MLB at the time.

Let's go back to that game and talk about just what made that debut one of the best in the 21st century and one of the best all-time.

12 years ago today, Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 batters in his MLB debut 🔥

(via @nationals)pic.twitter.com/1Uub8aQrQE

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 8, 2022

First, to understand the hype, we need to understand the state of the Nationals in 2010. The two previous years, Washington won 59 games each year, securing the No. 1 picks for the 2009 and 2010 MLB Draft.

As previously mentioned, the Nats took Strasburg No. 1 in '09 and in '10, they selected young JuCo outfielder Bryce Harper. It's safe to say both worked out pretty well for the franchise.

However, neither were up with the big league team at that point and the Nationals were the bottom of the barrel in the NL and MLB for the most part.

Enter Strasburg, who soared through the minors in 2010, exceeding all expectations as he made his MLB debut within a year of his getting drafted out of San Diego State.

That season, Washington drew 22,435 fans a game on average. On June 8, Strasburg's debut, they drew 40,315, just under a sellout at Nationals Park.

What a spectacle they witnessed as Strasburg struck out 14 over seven innings, giving up two runs and walking none. It was truly one of the best MLB debuts for any pitcher in the game's history and one that Nationals fans will never forget.

Two of the generation's best hurlers are coming back 👀@jonmorosi has the latest on the imminent returns of Stephen Strasburg and Clayton Kershaw.@LaurenShehadi | #MLBCentral pic.twitter.com/XUmYlpvXHm

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 9, 2022

Now, 12 years and one day later, he'll be back on the mound to make his 2022 season debut as the Nationals attempt to get out of the cellar in the NL East.