Strasburg retires after reportedly settling contract

Former World Series MVP and Washington Nationals icon Stephen Strasburg officially retired from baseball.

Strasburg's original retirement plans were shelved last August - just before an official ceremony - because of a dispute regarding the money owed to him over his remaining contract. The sides finally reached an agreement on the financials this week, sources told MASN's Mark Zuckerman.

The Nationals still owe Strasburg over $100 million through 2026. He signed a then-record seven-year, $245-million contract after the 2019 World Series. The club was trying to either change the amount of money owed or spread out the payments, which Strasburg wasn't amenable to, sources familiar with the discussions told Zuckerman. Washington kept him on the 40-man roster during the negotiations and placed him on the 60-day IL earlier this week.

As part of the agreement, Strasburg will defer an unspecified amount of his remaining salary, a source told Andrew Golden of the Washington Post. His contract already contained $80 million of deferred funds that was agreed to in 2019, per Cot's Contracts.

Washington selected Strasburg first overall in 2009 out of San Diego State, and he reached the majors less than a year later. In his highly anticipated MLB debut at a sold-out Nationals Park, Strasburg struck out 14 batters over seven innings to craft one of the franchise's first iconic moments since moving to the nation's capital from Montreal.

Strasburg retires having compiled a 113-62 record with a 3.24 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 1,723 strikeouts, and two shutouts over 13 seasons, all in Washington. The three-time All-Star finished in the top five in Cy Young voting twice, led the NL in strikeouts in 2014, and won a Silver Slugger in 2012. His name is at or near the top of nearly every pitching category in Nationals/Expos history, and he's their all-time leader in strikeouts.

Strasburg also put up a 1.46 ERA with 71 strikeouts in nine playoff appearances (eight starts) and was perhaps the Nats' most important player during their miraculous championship run of 2019. In the NL wild-card game, he threw three shutout innings out of the bullpen during his first and only relief appearance. Later, he saved the season with a dominant 8.1-inning outing in Game 6 of the World Series at Houston to set up their triumph the next day.

"I'd like to congratulate Stephen on an incredible career," Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said in a statement.

"From his major-league debut in 2010 through leading us to a title as the World Series MVP in 2019, the impact he's had on our ball club is undeniable. He will go down as one of the best players in Washington Nationals history, and it was my honor to be part of that journey."

Injuries derailed Strasburg's career after his World Series MVP-winning performance, though. The 35-year-old threw just 31.1 innings after 2019 and made just one start in the last three years following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.

Because he hasn't appeared in a game since 2022, Strasburg will be eligible to appear on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2028.