MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NOTES

Strasburg opts out of Nats deal

Stephen Strasburg opted out of the final four years of his contract with the Washington Nationals, three days after the star pitcher was chosen MVP of the World Series. The move Saturday makes the 31-year-old righthander a free agent. Strasburg gave up $100 million he had been guaranteed from 2020-23 as part of a $175 million, seven-year contract he agreed to with the Nationals in May 2016. Strasburg was 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA this season, topping 30 starts for the second time in his career and leading the NL with 209 innings pitched. Then he went 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in five postseason starts and one relief appearance, including wins in Games 2 and 6 of the World Series against Houston. Washington also won Game 7 to claim the first championship in franchise history. Just a few days later, however, the roster has already begun to change. The club declined its $18 million option for next season on 35-year-old first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, the only player who has been a member of every Nats team since the franchise moved from Montreal to Washington before the 2005 season. Zimmerman gets a $2 million buyout. Washington also turned down a $9 million option on catcher Yan Gomes, who receives a $1 million buyout, and exercised options on reliever Sean

Doolittle ($6.5 million) and outfielder Adam Eaton ($9.5 million). In a career interrupted by Tommy John surgery shortly after his spectacular major league debut in 2010, Strasburg is 112-58 with a 3.17 ERA and 1,695 strikeouts in parts of 10 seasons. He joins a free agent market that includes several other accomplished starting pitchers, such as Gerrit Cole, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Zack Wheeler, Madison Bumgarner, Rick Porcello, Cole Hamels, Jake Odorizzi and Dallas Keuchel. Cole, like Strasburg represented by agent Scott Boras, is expected to get a record contract for a pitcher, topping David Price's $217 million, seven-year deal with Boston before the 2016 season and Justin Verlander's $31.33 million average salary under a three-year deal with the Astros that started in 2019. Strasburg, two years older than Cole, likely would command a lower price because of age and durability. He was on the disabled list during seven of his 10 seasons, all but 2012, 2014 and this year. His 10 DL trips were caused by right shoulder inflammation and then a torn elbow ligament in 2010, recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2011, a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle in 2013, neck tightness and then a left oblique strain in 2015, right elbow inflammation in 2016, a right elbow nerve impingement in 2017 and right shoulder inflammation and then a cervical nerve impingement in 2018. Because Strasburg opted out, the $30 million deferred from his 2019 salary becomes due in three $10 million payments on each July 1 from 2020-22. The deal included a $10 million signing bonus that was payable July 1 this year and salaries of $15 million in both 2017 and 2018. All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon, another key component of the Nationals' title, also is a free agent represented by Boras.

Boston's Castillo declines to opt out

To the surprise of no one, outfielder Rusney Castillo declined to opt out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox and will remain in their minor league system. Castillo agreed to a $72.5 million, seven-year contract in 2014 and has not appeared in a major league game since 2016. He could have voided the final season of his deal, which calls for a $13.5 million salary, and become a free agent. Now 32, Castillo hit .278 with 17 homers and 64 RBIs this year for Triple-A Pawtucket. He batted .262 with seven homers and 35 RBIs over 99 games for the Red Sox from 2014-16, then was sent outright to Pawtucket in June 2016. Because Boston removed him from the 40-man roster, Castillo's salary didn't count toward Boston's luxury tax payroll. Under a change in the labor contract agreed to after the 2016 season, Castillo's salary would count toward the tax payroll if Boston put him back on the 40-man roster and later sent him outright to the minors again.

Gold Gloves awarded

Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado won his seventh straight Gold Glove and pitcher Zack Greinke earned his sixth in a row, getting the National League honor for the fourth months he spent with Arizona before he was traded to Houston. Kansas City left fielder Alex Gordon, who became a free agent this weekend, won his seventh overall and third in a row. Other multiple winners in the AL announced Sunday included Boston right fielder Mookie Betts (four), Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (three), Oakland first baseman Matt Olson and third baseman Matt Chapman, and Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor (two apiece). Seattle pitcher Mike Leake, Cleveland catcher Roberto Pérez and Chicago White Sox second baseman Yolmer Sánchez were first time winners in the AL. Chicago Cubs first baseman won his third Gold Glove and second in a row, and Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed won his second straight, There were five first-time winners in the NL: Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto, St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong, Arizona left fielder David Peralta, Milwaukee center fielder Lorenzo Cain and Los Angeles right fielder Cody Bellinger. Managers and up to six coaches per team vote for the awards in their league and cannot choose their own players.