WASHINGTON — The emergence of the Washington Nationals as one of the best teams in baseball was spearheaded by players such as Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg.

All of them were in the organization the last time the Nationals posted a losing record, in 2011, and all have been part of the four National League East titles that Washington has won since then.

And during that span, Strasburg has often excelled. A lot was expected of him after he became the No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft, and while he has never emerged as the most dominant pitcher in baseball, he has often been just a notch below.

Since the start of his first full season, in 2012, he ranks in the top 10 in baseball in such measurements as strikeout rate, opponents’ batting average and wins above replacement. An All-Star for the third time this season, Strasburg currently holds a 2.64 earned run average and a run of 34 consecutive scoreless innings on the mound, which is a team record. His next start will come Sunday night, on national television, against the Los Angeles Dodgers.