Nats’ Strasburg gets megadeal
In a move that should keep the Nationals in the conversation with the Mets for the best rotation in the NL East, Washington agreed to terms Monday with pitcher Stephen Strasburg on a seven-year extension worth $175 million.
Strasburg was projected to be — by far — the best starter in a weak freeagent class next offseason. Now, that honor could go to Scott Kazmir if he opts out of his Dodgers deal or Gio Gonzalez if the Nationals do not pick up his option or perhaps Rich Hill or Andrew Cashner.
In other words, nothing close to an ace — or even a top-flight No. 2 starter.
Clearly the free-agent market’s loss is the Nationals’ gain. They signed Max Scherzer to a seven-year deal after the 2014 season, broke out the excellent Joe Ross last year and have Lucas Giolito — arguably the best pitching prospect in the game — as a potential call-up as early as this year. Over the next several seasons, that should give Washington a formidable quartet to counter Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard.
As part of this deal, Strasburg has a rolling optout after Year 3 or 4, plus can earn an additional $7 million in performance bonuses — $1 million a year if he tops 180 innings.
In 2012, the Nationals infamously did with Strasburg, the f irst pick in the 2009 draft, what the Mets did not do with another Scott Boras client, Harvey, last year — shut him down a season after Tommy John surgery so he could not be used in the playoffs. Maybe that works to the Nationals’ advantage now — that they preserved his arm.
Since he came off the disabled list last August, the righty has pitched as brilliantly as pretty much anyone in the sport: Entering Monday, 11-2 with a 2.08 ERA while averaging 11. 55 strikeouts per nine innings in 16 starts.
This is the third big Boras client who has received a seven-year deal from the Nats: Strasburg, Scherzer and Jayson Werth. Boras also happens to be the agent for Washington’s best player, Bryce Harper, who can be a free agent after the 2018 season.