Yesterday, the baseball world learned some shocking news when it was announced that Washington Nationals injured ace Stephen Strasburg would ultimately be retiring from baseball.
Strasburg has dealt with more than his fair share of injuries over the course of his career.
The veteran right-hander helped the Nationals win their first World Series title back in 2019, winning Games 2 and 6 and earning MVP honors for the series.
After the series, he became a free agent and signed a seven-year, $245 million contract, which ultimately has not worked out for the Nationals.
On Twitter, MLB insider Jeff Jones pointed out how Strasburg’s contract will ultimately serve as a cautionary tale.
Just an incredible “at what cost” story. One of the most fascinating in baseball. https://t.co/2QhnoL9vXn
— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) August 24, 2023
Ultimately, the story of Strasburg’s contract will serve as such.
It’s always smart for teams to go big in free agency and sign top-end players to better their chances at winning a World Series title.
However, that comes with a major risk factor, especially for pitchers.
If a pitcher gets hurt after signing a mega-deal, it sometimes backfires on the team that signed him, which it has in this case for the Nationals.
At the time, signing Strasburg gave them a better chance at being a contending ballclub after winning the World Series in 2019.
But the cost was steep, both in terms of money and health.
The Nationals are now on the hook for the remaining money on his contract after he appeared in just eight games since signing it.
So while it’s important to add star players, this serves as a cautionary tale and a reminder that sometimes it doesn’t work out the way teams hope it does.
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