Stephen Strasburg’s season appears to be over barely after it began.

The star Washington Nationals pitcher, who signed a 7-year, $245 million contract in the offseason, is expected to undergo surgery next week for carpal tunnel syndrome.

The condition causes numbness, tingling or weakness in the hand. It’s common for many of us who spend a lot of time at a keyboard and can be debilitating – especially for someone who throws a ball at more than 90 miles per hour.

The Nationals placed Strasburg on the 60-day injured list Saturday. While it’s conceivable that he could return to action if the Nationals make another deep run in the playoffs, it’s unlikely. Manager Dave Martinez said the goal is to have Strasburg healthy when spring training starts next February.

Strasburg, 32, has battled injuries throughout his major league career. He needed Tommy John surgery to replace a torn ulnar collateral ligament during his 2010 rookie season. Two years later, the Nationals controversially cut his season short out of an abundance of caution, even though the team was making its first playoff appearance.

Last year, Strasburg was injury-free, culminating in a strong postseason that saw him named the World Series MVP as the team captured its first title.

He cashed in. At the time Strasburg signed his current contract, it was the largest ever for a pitcher both for the total and the average annual value.

This year, Strasburg complained of tingling in his right hand toward the end of summer training. He missed his first two scheduled starts of the regular season in late July. He ended up pitching only five innings over two games.