Strasburg overturns retirement due to remaining salary payment issue

In 2008, there was a “tanking” competition in the American professional baseball Major League (MLB), where teams deliberately lowered their performance. The aim was to acquire right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg (35, pictured) by securing the first pick in the rookie draft, which is awarded to the last-place team in the league. The winner of the tanking competition was Washington Nationals, which lost 102 of 162 games in one season."

Strasburg faced injuries, including undergoing Tommy John surgery just 12 games after his MLB debut in 2010. Yet, when he was healthy, he epitomized what an 'ace athlete' should be. In 2019, he played a pivotal role in helping the Washington Nationals secure their first World Series (WS) trophy since their founding. He was also named the Series Most Valuable Player (MVP). After the 2019 WS, when Strasburg became a free agent (FA), the Washington Nationals awarded him a seven-year contract worth $245 million, making it the largest contract ever for a pitcher.

It turned out to be a mistake. Since signing as a free agent, Strasburg only appeared in eight games. On Aug. 25, he announced his retirement. Initially, the Washington Nationals maintained a warm atmosphere by announcing the retirement of his uniform number 37. However, in the 13 days since then, the atmosphere has cooled significantly. American media outlets including the Washington Post reported on Friday that the Washington Nationals have decided to cancel the retirement ceremony scheduled for the 10th.

The reason behind this decision turned out to be financial. Strasburg insisted on receiving the entire remaining salary of $105 million, while the club argued that negotiations should be reopened, creating a rift. The Athletic, a sports media outlet, pointed out that MLB clubs typically secure insurance for situations like this, but due to Strasburg's extensive injury history, Washington was unable to obtain insurance.


leper@donga.com