Strasburg to become richest pitcher ever to have Tommy John

Stephen Strasburg made history on Monday when reports surfaced the right-hander had agreed to a seven-year, $175-million extension with the Washington Nationals.

According to FOX Sports' Jon Morosi, the 27-year-old's contract is the largest ever for a pitcher who has had Tommy John surgery.

Strasburg left a game on Aug. 21, 2010 with a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament that later required Tommy John surgery.

After an extensive rehab, Strasburg returned over a year later to pitch for the Nationals on Sept. 6.

Since returning from the surgery, the flamethrower has been a major contributor to the Nationals, dominating hitters with a strikeout rate of 10.4 hitters per nine innings.

Other notable names to undergo Tommy John surgery include Yu Darvish, Lance Lynn, and Brandon McCarthy; while Los Angeles Angels ace Garrett Richards is expected to do so after recently tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.