Stephen Strasburg Retires, Settles with Nationals

Introduction

Stephen Strasburg, a pitcher for the Washington Nationals, declared his retirement on Sunday, concluding a career that injuries plagued. After guiding Washington to their sole World Series victory five years ago, the 35-year-old Strasburg only pitched 31 1/3 innings in eight starts.

“I realized after repeated attempts to return to pitching, injuries no longer allow me to perform at a major league level,” Strasburg said in a statement. Major League Baseball’s transaction page listed his retirement on Saturday.

A Storied Career and Its Challenges

The General Manager, Mike Rizzo, who chose Strasburg as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft, said the right-hander was on “the Mount Rushmore of the Nationals.”

“When he was on the mound, he was as good as any pitcher in baseball — ever,” Rizzo said Sunday before the Nationals played the Philadelphia Phillies. “Unfortunately for him and for us, it wasn’t as we wanted it to be.”

During his career spanning 13 seasons, Strasburg achieved a record of 113 wins and 62 losses with a 3.24 ERA and he was selected for the All-Star game three times and in 2019, he led the National League with 18 wins and had an impressive postseason performance, going 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in six appearances. This included victories in Games 2 and 6 of the World Series held in Houston.

Struggles and Retirement

In December 2019, he agreed to a seven-year contract worth $245 million. However, he limited his playing time by throwing only 528 pitches across 31 1/3 innings in the major leagues, which resulted in a 1-4 record with a 6.89 ERA. He underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, which involved the removal of a rib and two neck muscles. Despite the procedure, he has reportedly experienced ongoing struggles with nerve pain in the years that followed.

Strasburg has been absent from pitching since June 9, 2022, after he made just one start of the season and lasted 4 2/3 innings before the team placed him back on the injured list. He did not participate in spring training in either 2023 or 2024.

Colleagues and Fans Reflect

“You just feel for somebody like that who was such a good player for a long time,” said Washington pitcher Patrick Corbin, who signed with the Nationals before the 2019 season in part to join a rotation that included Strasburg. “It’s just unfortunate with the injuries and some setbacks. He tried everything to come back and be part of this team and things just didn’t work out.”

Washington began preparing for a retirement press conference in August, aiming for a possible date in September. However, the situation changed when reports surfaced that Nationals ownership was pushing for changes to Strasburg’s contract. Originally, the contract stipulated that he would receive $35 million annually, with $11,428,571 deferred each year at a 1% interest rate. The team was to pay out the deferred funds in equal installments of $26,666,667 on July 1 in the years 2027, 2028, and 2029, along with an interest payment of $3,999,974 on December 31, 2029.

A Farewell to Remember

Strasburg announced his retirement on Sunday following the resolution of negotiations with the team on a revised contract. The settlement, reached after months of discussions, reportedly does not reduce the total financial worth of the contract. Strasburg is anticipated to hold a news conference at Nationals Park in the coming days.

Strasburg was considered a key player for the franchise when Washington selected him. He made his major league debut nearly a year later, where he impressed by striking out 14 batters against Pittsburgh on June 8, 2010, earning the nickname “Strasmas.”

Legacy and Acknowledgments

Strasburg had Tommy John surgery three months later and missed most of the 2011 season. In 2012, the Nationals decided to end his season early, and criticism of the team intensified after St. Louis defeated them in the NL Division Series.

Strasburg pitched 150 regular-season innings in five different seasons, with his highest being 209 in 2019 in the National League. Following that, he recorded 47 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings during October.

“He was a horse out there on the mound,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “Not every day he felt good, but every five days he’d take the ball and give you everything he had no matter what.”

Nationals owner Mark Lerner released a statement congratulating Strasburg on his career.

“It was a privilege to watch him grow as a player and a person throughout his illustrious career,” Lerner said. “He gave us so many memories that will live in our hearts forever.”

Strasburg expressed gratitude to coaches, teammates, and medical staff in his statement, and he recognized the continuous support of fans during his career.

“Although I will always wish there were more games to be pitched, I find comfort knowing I left it all out there for the only team I’ve known,” Strasburg wrote. “My family and I are truly fortunate and blessed to have experienced this baseball journey in the Nation’s Capitol.”

For more articles like this click here.