Nationals Great Stephen Strasburg Officially Announces Retirement From MLB

Tom Dierberger | Apr 6, 2024

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg delivers a pitch during a 2020 game. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen Strasburg, the former No. 1 draft pick who was crowned World Series MVP in 2019, officially retired from MLB on Saturday, per the league's official transactions page.

Strasburg dealt with plenty of injuries over his career but was one of the best pitchers in baseball from 2012 to '19. Over 13 total seasons on the field, Strasburg logged a 113–62 record, 3.24 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

In 2019, Strasburg pitched a league-high 209 innings and registered an 18–6 record and 3.32 ERA in 33 starts. He made five starts in the playoffs and two in the World Series, guiding Washington to its first title in franchise history. Strasburg held the Houston Astros to two runs over 8 1/3 innings in Game 6 to clinch the World Series and MVP honors.

Strasburg inked a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Nationals in December 2019 after that magical postseason run but only pitched in eight games on that contract. He was limited to five innings in 2020 and underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in 2021. He pitched just 4 2/3 innings in 2022 before neck and shoulder issues forced him to the sidelines for good.

The right-handed pitcher wraps up his career as the Nationals' all-time leader in strikeouts (1,723).