Right-handed pitcher and World Series hero, Stephen Strasburg agrees to a record 7-year $245 Million deal to stay with the Washington Nationals.
It had been a forgone conclusion that Strasburg was staying in D.C., the only place he has called home in his MLB career. But nobody seen this size deal coming. 7 years/$245 million with an AAV of $35 million already sounds massive, but when you dive into the details and opt out’s the numbers become even more mind blowing. Strasburg opted out of his previous contract that already had 4 years $100 million guaranteed. So if you think about it, the new deal of 7 for $245 million is really just a 3 year extension worth $145 million. When you break it down like that he got an absurd $48.333 AAV for the “extension.”
As a baseball fan it is great to see a team go above and beyond for their franchise player, but I have to question how smart of a deal will it be in the long run.
Strasburg will be 31-years-old midway through next season, which means in the back end of this contract a 37, 38, 39 year old pitcher will be making $35 million per year. Not ideal. However, every team who signs on for these long term deals understand the natural regression over time, and weigh the pros and cons. The Nationals decided they will take the 4-5 years of what should be great production from Strasburg, and deal with the tail end of the deal where he most likely won’t be producing up to the salary he will receive. But it does not mean I am totally against the signing.
The Nats have invested heavily in their starting rotation, quite confidently too since the big deal they gave Max Scherzer has paid off into his mid 30’s. Strasburg probably just hit is peak in the previous season, but his understanding of how to pitch, not just throw, will extend his prime. The injury history is a bit of a concern, but this is a deal that had to get done. It would have been a tough sell to a fanbase who loves Strasburg, and is coming off an improbable World Series win, that they are going in a different direction for financial reasons.
