The 35-year-old Stephen Strasburg has been plagued by injuries in recent years. His last appearance on the major league stage was back in June 2022. He finally became overwhelmed at the end of August last year and announced his retirement. However, recently, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo mentioned in an interview that “I hope Strasburg can show up in spring training” and emphasized that “he is still a part of the team.” Will Strasburg be in the Nationals’ dugout next season? How did the Nationals end their relationship with one of their greatest stars? This article will take you to discuss together.
The 2024 Major League Baseball regular season will kick off with the Dodgers playing the Padres in Seoul, South Korea on March 20. With the opening of the Major League Baseball approaching, the pitchers of each team have also reported for spring training, which will last for half a year. Preparing for the season, but not every player is ready to commit to spring training.
The 35-year-old Stephen Strasburg has been plagued by injuries in recent years. His last appearance on the major league stage was back in June 2022. He finally became overwhelmed at the end of August last year and announced his retirement. However, recently, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo mentioned in an interview that “I hope Strasburg can show up in spring training” and emphasized that “he is still a part of the team.”
Will Strasburg be in the Nationals’ dugout next season? How did the Nationals end their relationship with one of their greatest stars? This article will take you to discuss together.
“We’ll invite him (to spring training) like every other member of the 40-man roster,” Rizzo said. “We’ve contacted him and invited him to come, and we’ll see what happens from there. He (Strasburg) ) is not doing rehabilitation to return to the game, but is focusing on restoring the body to the functions of normal life. “
“He just needs to report before February 25th, and I hope he will show up,” Rizzo said.
February 25th is the mandatory registration day for teams receiving invitations to spring training. What if Strasburg doesn’t show up?
“I’m really looking forward to him showing up,” Rizzo said.
The Nationals certainly don’t expect him to report to spring training, rehab and return to the mound in the new season. But I hope he can show up and give some guidance and advice to the young players. While Rizzo remains hopeful, the odds of Strasburg actually showing up are pretty low, as he didn’t appear in Florida’s spring training the season before and only made occasional appearances at Nationals Park during the season.
“I don’t expect him to be 100 percent, but at least he can be here,” Rizzo said. “He’s a legend of the team, a part of the team, and being able to be here and talk to the young players, it’s important for these guys. The players will be very helpful. Who better to coach (Cade) Cavalli than him? Strasburg went through Tommy John and came back from it and performed well after surgery. How did he rehab? How did he do well in rehab? Prepared? He is a person who can provide a lot to this team.”
Strasburg is not a particularly talkative type of player, although he is still available whenever a player seeks his advice. However, over the years, he has paid more attention to himself. In order to bear the training of 162 games, it may not be so easy to switch to a full-time role of assisting others. In addition, even though he is technically still on the team’s 40-man roster, his relationship with the team has undergone subtle changes.
Why would the National Football League publicly appeal for the appearance of the most important star in the history of the team who has worked hard and retired honorably? And why is Strasburg still unwilling to report to spring training, or even hiding?It’s all about money.
Hailed as a “genius” since his school days, Strasburg joined the Washington Nationals as the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft. He spent 13 years of his career with the Nationals, recording a record of 113 wins, 62 losses, and an ERA of 3.24. And in 2019, he led the Nationals to win Washington’s first World Series championship since 1924 (when it was the Senators). Strasburg was also selected as the World Series MVP with his outstanding performances in Games 2 and 6.
After the season, Strasburg chose to skip the seven-year, $175 million contract extension he signed with the Nationals in 2016, and re-signed a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Nationals in the offseason, the largest in franchise history. He left behind one of the most important stars in team history. No one expected that what seemed like a good deal at first would become the key to subtle changes in the relationship between the two parties.
After announcing his retirement in the 2023 season, Strasburg still has three years left on his contract with the Nationals, averaging $35 million per year. It is rumored that management wants to pay off the remaining amount in deferred payments.according to Spotter, 80 million of the original contract was deferred payment and will be paid between 2027 and 2029. If the remaining contract can continue to be shared through deferred payments, it will significantly relieve the Nationals’ salary in the new season (Strasburg and Corbin account for more than half of the team’s salary in the 2024 season).
2024-02-17 09:55:54
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