Washington Nationals

Pitcher Stephen Strasburg is planning to retire after 13 seasons with the Washington Nationals, per the Washington Post's Jesse Dougherty and Barry Svrluga.

Strasburg, who last pitched in June 2022, has spent most of the last three seasons sidelined by injury.

The news of his impeding retirement earned heartfelt reactions from baseball fans who had hoped for three years that Strasburg would eventually be healthy enough to return to the form that made him the MVP of the 2019 World Series.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Stephen Strasburg had the most anticipated big league debut in Nationals history. He helped put DC on the map, stayed through the whole competitive window, brought a title home and got named World Series MVP. Thanks for everything Stras pic.twitter.com/31cbIN39vi

— x - Evan Johnson (@thevoiceofevan) August 24, 2023

So glad Stephen Strasburg got his ring before his arm gave out man

One of the most dominant pitchers in baseball anytime he stepped on the mound pic.twitter.com/1X5ySTLQLu

— AT (@YankeeWRLD) August 24, 2023

It’s funny. I’m a Mets fan, but I still remember Stephen Strasburg’s 1st MLB start like it was yesterday.

You have to realize, at the time, Strasburg was one of the first true Internet Sensations in sports - his strikeout reels in college were INSANE.

They looked like they… pic.twitter.com/f7DU74gYij

— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg represented hope for the Washington Nationals in which was a time with not a lot of hope. He was someone we could hang our hats on being a difference maker. What a run he had from 2010-2019 and ended with a ring & World Series MVP. Legendary career w/ the Nats.

— Ryan Clary (@Ryanclary11) August 24, 2023

Congrats on an incredible career Stephen Strasburg! Stephen was drafted to bring a championship back to the Nation’s Capital and he did just THAT! #WorldSeriesMVP pic.twitter.com/KVYK94R74Y

— Washington DC Sports News (@DCSportsNews365) August 24, 2023

Strasburg, the first pick of the 2009 MLB draft, made his first Nationals appearance against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 8, 2010. The debut was so highly-anticipated it became dubbed by local sports media as "Strasmas."

The San Diego State product lived up to the hype by throwing 65 strikes on 94 pitches. He fanned 14 Pirates batters, coming one short of the most strikeouts ever recorded by a pitcher in his MLB debut.

With the news that Stephen Strasburg is retiring let’s never forget his first MLB start against the Pirates

7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 14 strikeouts on 94 pitches pic.twitter.com/41ARmyxsjU

— Jack Delperdang (@jack_delperdang) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg will always be remembered fondly in DC. First overall pick, that electric debut, incredible postseason performances, and of course, World Series MVP. The injuries he's had and continues to have suck so much.

Have a happy and healthy retirement, king 🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/SBWCsqaXx0

— Blake Finney (@FinneyBlake) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg is probably the most important National in history.

His debut in 2010 was the first 'huge' night in franchise history. He was the best pitcher in their 2019 WS run. So good and an underrated career because people talk about his injuries before his excellence. https://t.co/WDCFYlbnZg

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg will always be a Nationals legend and his performance during the 2019 World Series run will go down as one of the best in postseason history.

5-0
1.98 ERA
0.94 WHIP
47/4 K/BB Ratio pic.twitter.com/qVj6QrT63P

— Shaun Salehi (@ShaunSalehi) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg’s debut felt like the Grand Opening of a new era of DC baseball. That night anything felt possible. Then 8 years later the previously impossible happened. Strasburg retires a World Series MVP and franchise legend.

— james wood enthusiast (@HalfStreetHeart) August 24, 2023

strasburg's debut is arguably the most memorable single game i've ever watched across all DC sports in my life. there were far more important moments but nothing came close to what that game represented to the identity of a franchise and how it played out https://t.co/gxXf7Ch49L

— David Webber (@davidpwebber21) August 24, 2023

https://twitter.com/EugeneFreedman/status/1694780633485074558

Nine years later, Strasburg played a key role in bringing home the first title in Nationals franchise history. He became the first pitcher to be named MVP of the World Series since 2014 after hurling 8.1 successful innings in a must-win Game 6 against the Houston Astros.

I'm afraid the narrative around Strasburg will be "what could have been?" but I really hope it isn't. Game 6 should mean he never has to buy a drink in DC ever. What an epic outing that was. Love and peace to you, Mr. Strasburg.

— Matt Rumbaugh (@rumbaugm) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg’s Game 6 pitching performance in the 2019 World Series was one of the best pitching performances I ever seen.

— Brandon J. (@BeeSupreme_) August 24, 2023

Will never forget going to his debut.

Will never forget his World Series performance in game 6 against the Astros.

You can say “what could have been” for Strasburg’s career…

But he turned the franchise around and delivered a title to DC and for that I’m forever grateful. https://t.co/NtYH8VXimN

— Collin Brennan (@producerCollin) August 24, 2023

Strasburg's severe arm issues derailed his career following the World Series victory, but several fans pointed out that his stats prior to his injuries were worthy of a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

An unfortunate end to a great career. Strasburg is a certified legend in D.C. who leaves behind indelible memories for Nats fans; from his electric debut to his historic postseason run in 2019. If it weren’t for injuries, he may have been a Hall of Famer. https://t.co/7BP6MIVdlO

— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) August 24, 2023

Lowest postseason ERA in MLB history (min. 50 IP):

1. Mariano Rivera* (0.70)
2. Sandy Koufax* (0.95)
3. Christy Mathewson* (0.97)
4. Eddie Plank* (1.32)
5. Stephen Strasburg (1.46)

*Hall of Famer

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg career postseason numbers:

55.1 IP
8 BB
71 K's
1.46 ERA
0.94 WHIP
World Series MVP

A transcedent pitching superstar who was on a sure fire HOF trajectory. One of the best arms of an entire generation. A phenomenon on the mound. Now he gets to enjoy life.

— ⁶ (@Damon98_) August 24, 2023

Strasburg will finish his career with three top-10 finishes in Cy Young voting (2014, 2017 and 2019) and the most strikeouts (1,723) in Nationals franchise history.

The Nationals are tentatively expected to make an official announcement regarding Strasburg's retirement prior to a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers September 9 at Nationals Park, according to Dougherty and Svrluga.

It's been over a year since Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg has been seen on the mound, and he's reportedly now ready to call it a career.

According to Jesse Dougherty and Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, Strasburg is set to retire from MLB because he has been unable to overcome complications from thoracic outlet syndrome.

After undergoing surgery that included the removal of a rib and two neck muscles to address his thoracic outlet syndrome in 2021, Strasburg made one start in June 2022 and pitched 4.2 innings before being shut down again. It was reported earlier this summer that the 35-year-old has "severe nerve damage" and experienced pain, tingling and numbness while trying to stay in shape.

The No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLB draft, Strasburg was a massively-hyped prospect who quickly lived up to expectations.

When he made his major league debut in 2010, he set a Nationals franchise record with 14 strikeouts. He went on to become a three-time All-Star who helped Washington win a World Series title in 2019. He was named World Series MVP after earning two wins in his two starts and recording 14 strikeouts while allowing just 12 hits.

The Nationals rewarded Strasburg with a seven-year, $245 million contract that offseason, but that deal precipitated his decline. The right-handed hurler has thrown just 31.1 innings since signing that deal.

Stephen Strasburg will continue be paid $35 million annually through 2026 (with about $11.4M deferred each year).
He then will receive $26.6M in 2027, 2028 and 2029 in his owed deferred payments.
The contract was not insured, leaving the #Nats on the hook for its entirety. https://t.co/TIluHqzmPj

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 24, 2023

Stephen Strasburg is retiring from baseball, per source. Because he is retiring for medical reasons, the source said, the remainder of his contract will be paid. @barrysvrluga was on it.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 24, 2023

Strasburg's career has been plagued by injuries. His rookie season was cut short by an elbow issue that required Tommy John surgery. He's made 30 or more starts in a season just three times in 13 years.

Strasburg ends his career with a 113-62 record, a 3.24 ERA and 1,723 strikeouts in 247 regular season starts. He excelled in the postseason with a 1.46 ERA in 55.1 innings.

Per Dougherty and Svrluga, a news conference is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 9 at Nationals Park prior to the team's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in which an official retirement announcement from Strasburg is expected.

The Washington Nationals received some unfortunate injury news on Thursday.

According to ESPN, outfielder Stone Garrett was confirmed to have suffered a broken fibula in Wednesday's loss against the New York Yankees. Garrett suffered the injury in the seventh inning while making a leaping attempt in right field to try to rob DJ LeMahieu of a home run.

The Nationals placed Garrett on the 10-day injured list on Thursday, though it wasn't disclosed how long he would be sidelined. The team recalled infielder Jeter Downs from Triple-A Rochester ahead of Thursday's series finale against the Yankees.

"You never want to see anybody get hurt," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said after Wednesday's 9-1 loss. "When he went down like that, my heart dropped. He was out there wincing. He's pretty hurt."

It appeared that a spike from Garrett's left cleat got caught in the padding of the wall as LeMahieu sent a solo blast over the short porch in right field. He was on the ground for several minutes while medical personnel from both teams attended to him. His leg was placed into an air cast before he was carted off the field.

"I think it's tough," said Lane Thomas, who moved over from center field to right field to replace Garrett on Wednesday. "Just a little emotional for him. Seeing somebody that that happens to is not fun either."

The 27-year-old is in his first year in Washington after signing with the Nationals this past offseason. He appeared in 89 games this year and hit .269/.343/.457 with nine home runs and 40 RBI.

"His at-bats have been good, but he's been playing defense really well," Martinez said. "It stinks for us because he is one of our every-day players out there who is having a really good year."

The Washington Nationals have struggled mightily since winning the World Series in 2019, but the team's leadership group reportedly isn't going to change anytime soon.

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Brittany Ghiroli, Nationals manager Dave Martinez has been signed to a two-year contract extension, while general manager Mike Rizzo is "close to a new deal."

Martinez reportedly will also have a club option on his deal for a third year, and the expectation is that Rizzo will sign a deal of a similar length. Both of them are in the midst of the option years on their current contracts.

Since winning the 2019 World Series, the Nationals have finished no better than fourth in the NL East, including back-to-back last-place finishes in each of the last two years. Washington sits in fifth place once again this season with a 57-68 record and likely will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

However, things look like they could be turning around. The Nationals are 23-14 after opening the season at 34-54, including 7-3 in their last 10 games. Per Baseball America, they have the eighth-best farm system in MLB led by 2023 No. 2 overall pick Dylan Crews, a former LSU star who won the 2023 Golden Spikes Award. Crews has already reached Double-A and is ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect in baseball by The Athletic's Keith Law.

Since taking over as manager in 2018, Martinez has a 378-455 record. He's endured the departures of star players Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon through free agency and Max Scherzer, Trea Turner and Juan Soto through trades.

The Nationals have the day off on Monday and will open a three-game series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

Dylan Crews has added another milestone to his already-outstanding year after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick by the Washington Nationals in the 2023 MLB draft on Sunday.

With the Pittsburgh Pirates taking Paul Skenes with the No. 1 overall pick, LSU made history on Sunday night:

So LSU becomes the first school in history to have two player go 1-2 in the MLB Draft

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 9, 2023

The 21-year-old Crews is fresh off leading LSU to a national title with a victory over Florida in the College World Series final. He won the Golden Spikes Award as the nation's best player for stellar junior season.

Crews tied for third in the nation in batting average (.426), ranked second in on-base percentage (.567), tied for 39th in slugging percentage (.713) and reached based in all 75 games this season. He had 71 walks to 46 strikeouts in 344 plate appearances playing primarily against SEC competition.

In the race for the best overall player in this year's draft class, Crews stood out from the pack because of his dominant performance with the bat and potential to remain a centerfielder in professional baseball.

MLB.com ranked Crews as the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 draft, citing him to be a "plus-plus hitter with plus power and some evaluators are even more bullish on his bat."

While this season was the best of Crews' career, he performed at a consistently high level throughout his three years at LSU. He hit .362/.453/.663 as a freshman in 2021 and followed that up with a .349/.463/.691 slash line and a career-high 22 homers during his sophomore season.

The Athletic's Keith Law, who also had Crews ranked as the best prospect in this class, noted he had the potential to be a first-round pick coming out of high school before a slow start to his junior year.

Crews wound up withdrawing from the 2020 draft to go to LSU. He turned out to be one of the best players in school history, joining Ben McDonald (1989) as the only Tigers' players to win the Golden Spikes Award.

The Nationals are a franchise that has been trying to find its way back to relevance since winning the World Series in 2019.

Since that championship season, they have lost Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto. Stephen Strasburg's career is in serious jeopardy due to a series of injuries and setbacks that have limited him to eight starts since 2020.

Washington's farm system is improving thanks to its recent drafts and returns from the Soto and Turner/Scherzer trades, but the addition of Crews gives the organization a potential cornerstone player who can be the team's best hitter since Soto.

Crews' advanced hitting ability should allow him to move through the minors quickly. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him in Washington's outfield at some point in 2024.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez vented his frustration with MLB's baserunning rules following his team's 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

José Abreu scored the winning run for Houston the ninth inning after Keibert Ruiz's throw to first base hit off the helmet of Jake Meyers.

Wild Wednesday Walkoff.#Ready2Reign x @CapitalOne pic.twitter.com/SsM1uHAnEa

— Houston Astros (@astros) June 15, 2023

During his postgame press conference, Martinez showed a photo of Meyers in the grass as he was running toward first base.

https://twitter.com/DCBarno/status/1669177568455426049

"There it is right there," he told reporters. "Take a look at it. Is that on the line? I don't think so. I'm over this play. Seriously. They need to fix the rule. If this is what the umpire sees that he's running down the line, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of it. Fix it. We lost the game, and he had nothing to say about it because he can't make the right call. Brutal."

The MLB rulebook details how a runner can be called for interference if he's left of the foul line or right of the runner's lane after getting 45 feet up the basepath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI82sPn1Uj0

In the case of Meyers, he was level with first base by the time he reached the bag. However, he appeared to be still touching the grass after crossing the halfway mark of the baseline.

It called to mind the interference call on former Nationals star Trea Turner during the 2019 World Series. Turner wasn't even as wide as Meyers was but was called out because he was narrowly outside of the baseline threshold.

Trea Turner was called out on this play.

"That's a potentially series changing call." - Joe @Buck pic.twitter.com/E3Po7hSNcR

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2019

The stakes were obviously much lower this time around. Suffering one more defeat is unlikely to matter much when Washington is already last in the National League East at 26-40.

But Martinez's anger wasn't without merit because Meyers seemed to be guilty of interference by the letter of the law.

The Washington Nationals haven't received any financial relief from Stephen Strasburg's contract despite the injury issues that have prevented him from pitching in a game since June 9, 2022.

Per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, the Nationals didn't take out any disability insurance on Strasburg's seven-year, $245 million contract signed in December 2019 because the "premiums would have been extremely high" even if the club and a company "could have agreed on a policy given Strasburg's age and extensive injury history."

Dougherty, citing sources, reported there is "increasing doubt" within the Nationals' organization about whether Strasburg will ever be able to pitch again.

Strasburg's extension was almost a reward for how integral he was for the Nationals during their run to the World Series in 2019.

The 34-year-old had a 1.98 ERA with 47 strikeouts over 36.1 innings in six appearances during that postseason run. He was named World Series MVP after going 2-0 with 14 strikeouts and four runs allowed in two starts against the Houston Astros.

Strasburg was also fantastic during the 2019 regular season. He led the NL with 18 wins, 209 innings and ranked second with 251 strikeouts.

Even though Strasburg made 33 starts in 2019, there were significant injury concerns before that season. He only had two seasons with at least 180 innings pitched from 2010 to '18 and made fewer than 30 starts in four consecutive seasons from 2015 to '18.

Since signing his new deal, Strasburg's injury issues have gotten worse. He only made two starts in 2020 due to carpal tunnel neuritis in his right hand. The three-time All-Star had two stints on the injured list in the first half of the 2021 season due to shoulder and neck issues.

The Nationals announced in July 2021 that Strasburg would undergo neck surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome. He made one start last season, allowing seven runs in 4.2 innings against the Miami Marlins, but went back on the injured list five days later due to a stress reaction in his ribs.

Strasburg didn't report to spring training on time due to a setback in his recovery related to his thoracic outlet surgery.

Dougherty noted some people have described Strasburg's complications as "severe nerve damage" and he's been unable to perform any rehab activities for more than a month with no indication he will be able to pitch in the near-future.

Strasburg has a $35 million base salary in every season of his contract that runs through 2026, but the deal includes $80 million in deferred money that will be paid out over three years starting in 2027.

There is reportedly fear that Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg may never pitch again.

According to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, sources say Strasburg is dealing with "severe nerve damage," and he has been unable to take part in any rehabilitation activities for more than a month.

As a result, there is "increasing doubt" within the Nats organization about whether Strasburg will ever return.

On Feb. 15, manager Dave Martinez told reporters that Strasburg suffered a setback in his return from thoracic outlet syndrome. Jessica Camerato of MLB.com provided the details.

"Strasburg had been recovering from a stress reaction in his second and third ribs that is related to his thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) surgery. He built up this offseason to throwing bullpens, and he felt good after his first session. After recently throwing a second session, however, he experienced a nerve issue that sidelined him again."

Thoracic outlet syndrome is defined by Mayo Clinic as follows: "A group of disorders that occur when blood vessels or nerves in the space between your collarbone and your first rib (thoracic outlet) are compressed. This can cause shoulder and neck pain and numbness in your fingers."

Strasburg underwent season-ending neurogenic thoracic outlet surgery in July 2021 and didn't return until June 9, 2022, when he threw 4.2 innings and allowed seven earned runs and eight hits while striking out five against the Miami Marlins.

Strasburg was scheduled for a start June 14, 2022, but ended up going on the injured list the day before.

On June 16, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Nats believed Strasburg was experiencing a recurrence of the same problem.

"The Nats only announced he felt discomfort after a bullpen session, and while there is no official diagnosis, the fear is it's the very same issue," Heyman wrote.

On July 14, Strasburg was transferred to the 60-day IL. Four days later, Heyman reported that Strasburg was expected to be out for the entire season with a nerve issue. However, Strasburg was not believed to need TOC surgery again.

The former San Diego State star, who was selected No. 1 in the 2009 MLB draft, has gone 113-62 with a 3.24 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 10.5 K/9 rate over his career. The three-time All-Star also earned 2019 World Series MVP honors en route to helping lead the Nats to their lone championship in franchise history.

Fans at Nationals Park were not happy to sit through a rain delay of nearly four hours on Saturday just for the game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals to be suspended.

Washington manager Dave Martinez understood that and was apologetic after the decision.

"I'm going to sit here and apologize to the fans because it took a while," he said, per Joe Trezza and Jessica Camerato of MLB.com.

"But we wanted to make sure that we got it right. We gave them a chance to try to get the field ready. We just didn't feel like it was safe for the players. We were all in agreement at that point, and that was it. Sometimes Mother Nature gets the best of you and there's nothing we can do about it. But we get to come back and play tomorrow and keep everybody safe."

"It's really a shameful episode on the part of Major League Baseball to permit this to happen"

As tonight's game was suspended, Gary, Keith and Ron reacted to tonight's events, which included a nearly four-hour rain delay before the official suspension of the game: pic.twitter.com/Puqoy1aONb

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 14, 2023

The rain delay started in the top of the third inning with the Nationals leading 1-0 and lasted three hours and 56 minutes. The teams will start where they left off when the game resumes as part of a split doubleheader on Sunday.

Both sides are looking to establish some much-needed momentum with the chance to win two games on Sunday.

Washington is in last place in the National League East at 16-22, while New York is in third place at 19-20. The Atlanta Braves are pacing the division at 25-14.

Ted Lerner, the former principal owner of Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals, has died at age 97.

A team spokesperson confirmed Lerner's passing to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. Svrluga noted Lerner, a real estate magnate in Washington, D.C., purchased the Nationals in 2006 from MLB.

Adam Bernstein and Matt Schudel of the Washington Post wrote that purchasing the Nationals "fulfilled a lifelong dream" for Lerner, who worked as an usher for Washington Senators games as a youth since he could rarely afford to attend games.

MLB took over the former Montreal Expos franchise and moved it to Washington in 2005, and Lerner won the bidding process to purchase the franchise the following year for $450 million.

Forbes listed the Nationals as MLB's 12th-most valuable franchise with a value of $2 billion ahead of the 2022 season.

While Lerner helped in the team's construction of and move to Nationals Park in 2008, the building of a consistent winner stood out the most during his tenure as principal owner. The Expos made the playoffs just once in 36 seasons in Montreal, and the Nationals missed the postseason in their first seven years following the move to the U.S. capital.

However, they made the playoffs five times in eight seasons from 2012 through 2019 and lifted the World Series trophy in 2019.

"The victory was the capstone to his career, reshaping his public legacy from that of a publicity-averse real estate and shopping mall magnate known for his gruff and litigious personality to that of a community-spirited team owner who brought a championship to his hometown," Bernstein and Schudel wrote of Lerner.

Lerner's son, Mark, became the franchise's managing principal owner in 2018, and he said last April that the family is exploring a potential sale.