Washington Nationals’ veteran pitcher and franchise icon Stephen Strasburg is set to retire after the 2023 season, according to multiple reports.
Jesse Dougherty and Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post first reported the news, citing three sources on the matter. A press conference has also been set for Sept. 9, prior to the Nationals’ home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers:
“Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg plans to retire, according to three people familiar with the matter, ending a career that started with unprecedented hype, peaked with a World Series MVP award in 2019, and ultimately was derailed by injury. He last pitched in a game in June 2022.”
After leading the Nationals to the franchise’s first World Series championship in 2019, Strasburg was awarded a lucrative seven-year deal worth $245 million. Bob Nightengale of USA Today added that Strasburg will continue to get paid, even in retirement, as the Nats don’t have insurance on his deal.
Strasburg was drafted first overall by Washington back in 2009. A year later, the organization used the No. 1 selection on another future star in Bryce Harper. Though the future two-time NL MVP left for a monster payday from the rival Philadelphia Phillies in 2019, Strasburg stayed with the Nats the entire way.
It fittingly culminated with a championship in the 2019 season, the year Harper had left for Philly. In the 2019 postseason, Strasburg appeared in six games and went 5-0 with a ridiculous 1.98 ERA and 47 strikeouts in just 36.1 innings pitched.
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The 35-year-old Strasburg will retire as a three-time All-Star and World Series MVP with 113 career wins, a 3.24 ERA and 1,723 strikeouts.
