Stephen Strasburg passed an important milestone in his ongoing recovery from Tommy John Surgery in September. It may seem like an elementary milestone, but it is still an essential one. He has tossed a baseball for the first time since the surgery, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty said that Strasburg tossed a ball from a "very short distance" while rehabbing in San Diego earlier today.
"He told me that he tossed a ball, that he was really excited," Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty said today in a phone interview. "I just kind of laughed. He was so excited to be able to toss a ball. I'm not sure what the process is, because it can vary. But I know he tossed a ball. It was a very short distance. He was very happy."
This means that Strasburg remains on schedule for a projected 12-18-month recovery from the September surgery. During training camp, he is expected to play soft catch with the pitching staff while the other pitchers do their routine. If all goes well, there's an outside chance Strasburg could be ready to pitch by next September, though there are a lot of landmarks he must pass before then.