The angry Washington Nationals have canceled the retirement ceremony for Stephen Strasburg, 35, who announced the end of his career. The reason appears to be money.
The Nationals have canceled Strasburg’s retirement news conference scheduled for Tuesday, The Athletic reported.
Strasburg announced his retirement late last month. Strasburg is currently suffering from a major injury that is reportedly preventing him from returning to full activity.
먹튀검증At the time, the Nats said they would hold Strasburg’s retirement press conference at Nationals Park. However, the press conference was canceled.
The Nats were also set to retire Strasburg’s No. 37 jersey in 2024. Strasburg was a major contributor to the Nats’ first championship.
But all of that was canceled. The issue appears to be money. After signing a seven-year, $245 million contract, Strasburg didn’t perform well.
He also has three years and $150 million left on his contract after retirement. Of that, $11.4 million is paid in installments through 2029, but that’s not a huge chunk.
The biggest problem is that there is no insurance, which is often included when signing an injury-prone player. The Nats will be on the hook for the entire amount.
The abrupt cancellation of Strasburg’s retirement press conference could very well be the result of friction between the Nats and Strasburg.
Stephen Strasburg. Photo by Getty Images
Strasburg was drafted by the Nats in the first round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft and took the mound in 2010.
He’s been a top-tier starter since 2012, and last year he went 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 209 innings pitched in 33 games. Career high.
Strasburg also pitched 14 1/3 innings in Game 2 of the 2019 World Series, going 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA and helping his team win the title.
His performance earned him World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors, and he promptly signed a seven-year, $245 million contract, which proved to be a huge mistake for Washington.