Stephen Strasburg: Officially retires from baseball
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Major League Baseball officially listed Strasburg as retired Saturday.
Strasburg had been set to announce his retirement from professional baseball last September, but he nixed those plans why he and the Nationals continued to negotiate terms of the retirement. With Strasburg's retirement now official, he'll receive the entirety of the more than $100 million that remains on the seven-year, $245 million contract extension he signed in December 2019, though a portion of that money will be deferred, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports. The 35-year-old's career came to a premature end after he struggled to bounce back from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in July 2021, but he had a terrific run for Washington after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2029 First-Year Player Draft. Over parts of 13 seasons in the majors, Strasburg compiled 113 wins, a 3.24 ERA, and 1,723 strikeouts over 1,470 innings. Strasburg made three All-Star teams and was the World Series MVP in 2019 when the Nationals won their only title in franchise history.
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Nationals' Stephen Strasburg: Heads to 60-day IL
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The Nationals placed Strasburg (thoracic outlet syndrome) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Strasburg is essentially medically retired from baseball after he struggled to bounce back from his July 2021 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, but he remains in the organization after he and the Nationals have thus far been unable to come to an agreement on how to dispense the $105 million he's still owed over the remaining three seasons of the seven-year, $245 million contract he signed in December 2019. Washington ownership is believed to be interested in deferring more of the money remaining in the deal, but Strasburg is already due $80 million in deferred money from 2027 through 2029 and is presumably keen on getting more of his salary up front. Until a resolution on Strasburg's financial situation is reached, he'll remain on the Nationals' books, though placing him on the 60-day IL at least frees up a 40-man roster spot.
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Nationals' Stephen Strasburg: May serve as veteran mentor in camp
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President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that Strasburg (shoulder) won't participate in spring training but could report to Nationals camp at some point to work with the younger pitchers on the staff, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
The 35-year-old right-hander is effectively retired from professional baseball while he's struggled to recover from his July 2021 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. However, Strasburg remains on the Nationals' 40-man roster while he and Washington ownership have thus far been unable to finalize an agreement regarding the $105 million he's still owed over the next three seasons on the seven-year, $245 million contract he signed in December 2019. Strasburg will forfeit the remainder of the salary he's owed if he retires without coming to a formal agreement with Washington, while ownership is presumably keen on recouping at least a portion of their financial commitment. Even if retirement negotiations aren't completed anytime soon, the Nationals will at least be able to open up a spot on the 40-man roster by placing Strasburg on the 60-day injured list.
Nationals' Stephen Strasburg: Negotiating retirement terms
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Strasburg (shoulder) and the Nationals are still negotiating the terms of his retirement and his scheduled press conference Saturday has been canceled, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
The Nats were planning to honor Strasburg this Saturday in Washington, according to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, and there has been talk within the organization of retiring his number. Those things are expected to happen eventually, per Dougherty, but the two sides may be discussing some sort of deferred-money agreement as Strasburg calls it quits at age 35. He is owed more than $100 million on the seven-year, $245 million contract extension he signed in December of 2019, and all of that money is guaranteed because this is an injury-related retirement.
Strasburg (neck/shoulder) is planning to announce his retirement from baseball in September, Jesse Dougherty and Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post report.
There is a news conference scheduled for Sept. 9 at Nationals Park, where Strasburg will officially call it a wrap at age 35. Washington still owes him more than $105 million on a contract that runs through 2026, and it'll be paid in full because this is an injury-related retirement, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Strasburg burst onto scene in 2010 and registered a 3.17 ERA with 1,695 strikeouts across his first 239 major-league starts (1438.2 innings), but he's battled a range of physical issues -- most notably thoracic outlet syndrome -- since helping the Nats win the World Series in 2019. The right-hander did not pitch this year and surrendered 25 runs (24 earned) in just 31.1 total big-league innings between the 2020-2022 campaigns.
Nationals' Stephen Strasburg: Dealing with 'severe nerve damage'
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Strasburg (neck/shoulder) has been completely shut down from all rehab activities for more than a month while dealing with "severe nerve damage," Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Strasburg has made only eight big-league starts since helping the Nationals to a World Series title in 2019. Just one of those starts has come since he underwent thoracic outlet surgery in June 2021, with his comeback attempt last season quickly getting shut down. Each setback makes it increasingly likely that Strasburg has already thrown his final major-league pitch, though he's yet to officially call it quits.
The Nationals placed Strasburg (ribs/shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday while he continues to experience symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Strasburg's status for 2023 is up in the air after he had a nerve-related setback over the offseason. He can't be activated until late May at the soonest, and unless he's able to resume throwing within the next few weeks, his return will be much further off than that.
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Nationals' Stephen Strasburg: Likely to open on 60-day IL
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The Nationals are expected to place Strasburg (ribs/shoulder) on the 60-day injured list to begin the season, a source tells Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post.
Considering Strasburg hasn't been taking part in spring training workouts after experiencing a nerve-related setback during an offseason bullpen session, the news that he'll likely be sidelined for at least the first two months of the 2023 campaign comes as little surprise. Since experiencing renewed complications in his ongoing recovery from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in July 2021, Strasburg has sought out multiple medical opinions on his next steps, but the Nationals have yet to publicize what sort of treatment strategy the 34-year-old right-hander is following. Since earning World Series MVP honors in 2019 and then signing a seven-year, $245 million contract extension with Washington, Strasburg has made just eight starts over the first three seasons of the deal.
Nationals' Stephen Strasburg: Will see multiple doctors
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Strasburg (ribs/shoulder) is scheduled to visit multiple doctors in an effort to form a treatment strategy for his latest nerve-related setback, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Strasburg underwent surgery way back in July 2021 for thoracic outlet syndrome, and he continues to experience complications here in 2023. There'sno clarity at this point as to when -- or even if -- he might return to the mound. "We're going to take it day by day, literally day by day," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Friday. "We'll get all the opinions. We'll sit down with Stras. And we'll make out a game plan."
