World Series hero reaches deal to stay with Nats

The Washington Nationals announced Dec. 9 that they have re-signed starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, a threetime All-Star.

Two people familiar with the negotiations told USA TODAY Sports that Strasburg, 31, agreed to a seven-year contract worth $245 million. The people were granted anonymity because the details of the deal had not been announced at press time.

Strasburg’s deal is the largest ever given to a free agent pitcher in terms of total value, surpassing the record set by David Price’s $217 million deal in 2015.

“Stephen Strasburg is one of the premier pitching talents of this generation,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement announcing the deal. “His body of work this season and throughout his career proves that and the way he performed this postseason was nothing short of brilliant.”

Strasburg, whom the Nationals drafted No. 1 overall in the 2009 MLB draft, has been a fixture in Washington’s rotation for nearly a decade.

He’s earned three All-Star nods and World Series MVP honors as the Nationals captured their first championship title this fall.

The 31-year-old went 18-6 in 2019 with a 3.32 earned-run average and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 33 starts this past season.

The move by Washington to retain Strasburg will likely have ripple effects throughout the free agent market during the offseason.

It could help drive up the value of free agent starting pitcher Gerrit Cole’s contract, and it could preclude the Nationals from re-signing their other top free agent, third baseman Anthony Rendon.

Nationals owner Mark Lerner told NBC Sports Washington last week that “we really can only afford to have one of those two guys,” referring to Rendon and Strasburg.

Retaining Strasburg also ensures that the Nationals will continue to have one of Major League Baseball’s priciest rotations.

Ace Max Scherzer is in the midst of a seven-year, $210 million deal, and Washington added lefty Patrick Corbin on a sixyear, $140 million contract last offseason.

MIKE EHRMANN/USA TODAY SPORTS Stephen Strasburg has agreed to stay with the Washington Nationals after agreeing to a seven-year, $245 million contract.