Tim Tebow vs. Stephen Strasburg: Who is more likely to affect the '17 NL East Pennant?

Tim Tebow signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets announced Thursday morning. On Wednesday night, Stephen Strasburg made his first start since August 17th. Strasburg left the game in the 3rd inning when he felt “a pinch in the back of his elbow.” Strasburg will undergo an MRI today with the Nationals comfortably in first place in the N.L. East and on the brink of their third postseason appearance in five seasons.

If the MRI results are bad, Strasburg, 28, will likely miss the playoffs for the second time in that run. He had Tommy John surgery in 2010 and was shut down before the 2012 playoffs because of an innings limit. His future was prioritized over the Nationals present. He came back strong in 2013, starting 30 games for the first time in his career, but the Nats missed the playoffs. In 2014 he started 34 games before going 0-1 in the NLDS. Washington missed the playoffs in 2015 and now this.

The New York Mets are currently 8.5 games behind the Nationals, but tied for a spot in the NL Wild Card standings. Presumably, both teams will be back fighting for the NL East pennant in 2017, but will either Tim Tebow or Stephen Strasburg contribute to that chase? It’s unlikely. Just look at the numbers:

FRANCHISE PLAYOFF APPEARANCES: Mets 8, Nationals 2

PLAYER AGE: Tebow 29, Strasburg 28

PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYED: Strasburg SOME, Tebow NONE

POSTSEASON WINS: Tebow 1, Strasburg 0

MOST LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN 2017 NL EAST PENNANT RACE:
Strasburg has to get the nod since he’s a professional baseball player and Tim Tebow is a college football commentator. Sometimes the numbers do lie. That being said, there’s like a 83% chance Strasburg is injured or shut down and a 16% chance the Nationals stink next season. That would create a scenario where neither of these guys is involved in a pennant race.