The Nationals have canceled Stephen Strasburg’s retirement press conference on Saturday as the two sides renegotiate the terms of the 35-year-old’s retirement, The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli reports.
Strasburg reportedly decided to retire last month after struggling to return from thoracic outlet syndrome that he first suffered in 2021. According to Ghiroli, Washington first approached Strasburg about paying the full amount of his remaining contract, but have since decided to try and change the terms of the agreement.
Ghiroli also reported that Strasburg has dealt with nerve damage and is “100 percent disabled.”
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In 2019, after the Nationals won the World Series with Strasburg as the World Series MVP, the two sides agreed to a seven-year, $245 million contract in free agency. Since then, Strasburg has thrown just 30.2 innings and has appeared in just one game dating back to the start of the 2022 season.
After this season, Strasburg was set to have three years and $105 million left on his contract. In total, Strasburg has spent the past 14 years with the Nationals after going with the No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLB draft.
According to Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post, while the Nationals and Strasburg were planning on a press conference this weekend, the team did not plan on honoring the pitcher on the field in any capacity. Instead, the organization has discussed retiring Strasburg’s number sometime next season.
