WASHINGTON — When the question came to him, with the cameras on, Stephen Strasburg chose calculated sarcasm. How often does he have all his pitches working the way he did Wednesday?

“Every time,” he said, expressionless, after the Washington Nationals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2. “It just depends on if they hit it or not.”

Later, privately, Strasburg explained that he was only kidding, that of course there are days when his fastball, curveball and changeup are not behaving as they should. But he has to use them, has to trust that the brilliance will reveal itself. Otherwise, he said, he would have no chance.

This is what the Nationals must do with Strasburg, too. They have seen enough, in 83 major league starts, to understand how few peers can match his mastery of three pitches. They must believe in where his talent can take him.