Source: Strasburg to announce retirement (updated)

NEW YORK – What had sadly become obvious earlier this year is now becoming reality: Stephen Strasburg will be forced to retire from the Nationals, unable to recover from his 2021 thoracic outlet surgery enough to pitch again in a major league game.

The Nationals are not publicly announcing anything yet, but a source confirmed the decision has been made and there are plans for Strasburg to hold a press conference at Nationals Park during the team’s next homestand. The Washington Post first reported the news.

"For Strasburg and his family, I'm not going to make any comments about what's going on," manager Davey Martinez said, fighting tears following his team's 6-5 win over the Yankees this afternoon. "What I do know is that he means a lot to me and this organization, and the fans. I'll just keep it at that."

It had become clear earlier this year Strasburg was not going to be able to make a full recovery after several attempts to rehab from the July 2021 surgery that derailed his career. He made one start in Miami in June 2022 but could not avoid another trip to the injured list, and one final attempt to come back this spring was cut short due to continued pain and discomfort in his arm, neck and shoulder.

Because he still has three years remaining on the seven-year, $245 million contract he signed after the 2019 World Series, Strasburg needed to work out some kind of financial arrangement with the Nationals. In voluntarily retiring, the 35-year-old would normally forfeit any money still owed to him. Sources familiar with the situation said negotiations had been taking place for months, delaying the final resolution until now.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft out of San Diego State, Strasburg immediately was the most hyped pitching prospect in a generation and only solidified his star power when he struck out 14 Pirates in his nationally televised debut for the Nationals on June 8, 2010.

Tommy John surgery cut short his rookie season and sidelined him most of the 2011 season, but Strasburg returned in 2012 and helped lead the Nats to their first of four division titles, though he famously was shut down by the organization in early September to protect his arm and did not pitch in the postseason.

Over the subsequent decade, Strasburg both thrived and suffered, dominant when he was healthy enough to take the mound but rarely healthy enough to consistently take the mound.

Strasburg made 24 or more starts six times from 2012-19; the Nationals made the playoffs in five of those six seasons. They’ve never made the playoffs when he failed to reach the 24-start mark.

His peak, of course, came in 2019, when led the league in wins (18) and innings (209) while striking out a career-high 251 batters, then went 5-0 in the postseason to lead the Nats to their first championship, earning World Series MVP honors in the process.

Overall, Strasburg made 247 regular season starts in his career, going 113-62 with a 3.24 ERA, a 1.096 WHIP and 1,723 strikeouts in 1,470 innings. In nine postseason appearances (including one notable outing in relief of Max Scherzer in the 2019 National League Wild Card Game) he went 6-2 with a 1.46 ERA, striking out 71 batters while walking only eight.

Strasburg opted out of his prior seven-year, $175 million contract on the night of the World Series parade, becoming a free agent for about five weeks before re-signing with the Nationals for seven years and $245 million. The club always viewed it as a risky contract, but one the right-hander earned with his clutch performances and importance to the franchise.

He was never the same pitcher after signing the new deal, making a total of eight starts from 2020-22 and going 1-4 with a 6.89 ERA. He had surgery for carpal tunnel neuritis in 2020, and when his condition didn’t improve he was told he needed thoracic outlet surgery in July 2021, a procedure he and the organization recognized could ruin his career.

Strasburg made it back to pitch on June 9, 2022, against the Marlins, 12 years and 1 day following his major league debut. He was tagged for seven runs in 4 2/3 innings with diminished velocity but was genuinely pleased his arm felt strong after the start. But within a week, he began to experience a recurrence of the symptoms, and he went back on the injured list.

Little did he or the Nationals know he would remain there until now when he was forced to make a decision months in the making but no less difficult to accept.

"To speak of Stephen himself, that was a big reason why I came to this organization: To play with him and Max (Scherzer)," said Patrick Corbin, who signed a six-year, $140 million contract prior to the 2019 season. "It's been tough, I'm sure, for him and his family. The guys in this clubhouse miss him. We wish nothing but the best for him in what's to come. But he's a big reason why I'm here, and a big reason why we have a championship ring."