If I had told you before the season started that Eddie Butler and Stephen Strasburg would post similar numbers in 2015, you, Rockies fan, would have been happy. That has actually been the case. But what has also been the case is that Strasburg has had a bad season. Butler enters today's game with a 5.45 ERA in 14 starts. Strasburg, due to injury, has started 13 games and comes in to tonight's game with a 5.16 ERA.
But ERA doesn't tell the whole story. There are reasons not to worry about Strasburg going forward, even aside from his track record of success.