Washington National and baseball fans can rejoice. The 2009 first overall pick in the MLB draft will make his return from last year’s Tommy John surgery and start for the Nats on September 6, according to the Associated Press.

Manager Davey Johnson will start him at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I’ve got a spot open for him,” Johnson said.

“This is the time of year you look at young players,” Johnson added. “That’s what you do at this time of year when you’re not in a pennant race. And unfortunately, we’re not in one.”

Strasburg last pitched in August 2010 before the team announced that the right-hander would undergo Tommy John surgery. He recently was clocked at 98 mph in a recent rehab start.

Image by Lee Cannon Under the Creative Commons License