Stephen Strasburg's $245,000,000 contract will reportedly still have to be paid by Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals hard-throwing righty Stephen Strasburg has not been on the mound much over the last few years. He has been dealing with injuries that have limited him to just one start since the 2022 season.
He has yet to appear this season but was shut down from all physical activity just a few months back. Strasburg does not see a light at the end of the tunnel and plans to retire.
However, the Nationals will be on the hook for his seven-year, $245 million contract. The two sides agreed to this deal before the 2020 season, after the Nationals won the World Series.
"Stephen Strasburg will continue to be paid $35 million anually through 2026 (with about $11.4M deferred each year). He then will receive $26.6M in 2027, 2028, 2029 in his owed deferred payments. The contract was not insured, leaving the Nats on the hook for its entirety," Bob Nightengale tweeted.
The contract was not insured, which leaves the Washington Nationals high and dry. Given how injured he has been in his career, finding an insurer may have been challenging.
That is quite a large amount of money to pay somebody who will not be helping your team out. It is unfortunate Strasburg's career had to end the way it had. He was one of the most hyped pitchers during his time.
Stephen Strasburg was electric early in his career for the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals selected Stephen Strasburg with the first pick in the 2009 draft. That same year, he signed a record-breaking four-year, $15.1 million contract just minutes before the deadline.
Strasburg spent a little over a season in the minors before making his major league debut on June 8, 2010, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Strasburgh compiled a 5-3 record with a 2.91 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 68 innings. He kept that level of performance up, being selected as an All-Star in 2012, 2016 and 2017.
Things clicked for the hard-throwing righty in 2019. He led the league with 18 wins while also leading the league in innings pitched (209). The Nationals beat the Houston Astros in the World Series, and Strasburg was named MVP.
However, Strasburg's career had to end the way it did. Who knows what his career could have been if it was not cut short by injuries?