Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg will be sticking around with the team that drafted him after signing a seven-year contract worth $175 million, according to a tweet by Jon Heyman. The deal includes an opt-out after year three or four, adds Ken Rosenthal. The Nationals selected Strasburg with the No. 1 overall pick out of San Diego State in the 2009 MLB Draft.
Nationals, Stephen Strasburg reportedly agree to 7-year, $175 million extension
The deal takes the former No. 1 draft pick out of a free agency market that was already expected to be weak with pitchers.
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Prior to the Nationals’ game against the Detroit Tigers on Monday, Strasburg had a career record of 59-37, a 3.06 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has struck out 948 batters over 818 ⅔ innings.
He was injured last year and returned in August. Since then, he has been one of the top pitchers in the game. This season, he’s 5-0 with a 2.36 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and only nine walks over 42 innings.
Strasburg was expected to be the top pitcher in a very weak free agent class next winter. According to SB Nation baseball writer Grant Brisbee, that leaves C.J. Wilson of the Angels as the top remaining free agent pitcher -- and he hasn’t even thrown a pitch yet in 2016.
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