The 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg is staying with Washington Nationals. Strasburg, who was one of the biggest free agents available on the market this season, reportedly agreed to a deal with Nationals on Monday.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Strasburg will get a seven-year, $245 million contract which will top the previous records for a pitcher in both overall value and average annual value. The record, however, should stand long as All-Star pitcher Gerrit Cole is expected to get an even bigger offer.
Strasburg had a career season in 2019, helping the Nationals to their first World Series title. He started 33 games and got career-high 18 wins in the regular season while posting a 3.32 ERA and adding 251 strikeouts.
The 31-year-old continued with great performances in the playoffs, becoming the first MLB pitcher to have five wins without a loss in a single postseason. He finished the World Series MVP-worthy run with 1.98 ERA and 47 strikeouts.
At the end of the season, Stephen Strasburg opted out of the remaining four years of the seven-year, $175 million, extension he signed back in 2016. He met with several teams in past weeks, including New York Yankees, but ended up getting a good enough offer to remain in Washington.
Signing Strasburg probably means that the Nationals will have to let All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon walk away in free agency. The organization is reportedly prepared to make a competitive offer to Rendon, but will most likely be unable to match his asking price which is south of $234 million that Nolan Arenado got from Colorado Rockies.
