MLB Rumors: Stephen Strasburg's Nationals Retirement Press Conference Canceled

The Washington Nationals reportedly won't be honoring Stephen Strasburg on Saturday after all.

According to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, the planned retirement press conference for the pitcher ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers has been canceled.

"The plan was to honor him and retire his number but the Nationals have changed course," Ghiroli wrote.

Jesse Dougherty and Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reported on Aug. 24 that Strasburg was going to retire due to complications from thoracic outlet syndrome.

Despite the health issues that largely prevented him from taking the mound in recent years, the right-hander is a Nationals legend.

Washington selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2009 MLB draft, and he wasted no time setting the tone with a franchise-record 14 strikeouts in his debut in 2010. It was the start of a career that included a World Series crown, three All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger and a World Series MVP.

Strasburg was at his best in that 2019 Fall Classic. He went 2-0 against the Houston Astros with a combined 14 strikeouts and 12 hits allowed in 14.1 innings. He allowed only two earned runs in each start, including the Series-extending win in Game 6 when he went 8.1 innings.

Washington rewarded him with a seven-year, $245 million contract the ensuing offseason, but injuries limited him to a total of 31.1 innings ever since.

Strasburg made a single start in 2022 and pitched 4.2 innings before he was shut down. He pitched just five innings in the shortened 2020 campaign and 21.2 innings in 2021.

As for the contract, Bob Nightengale of USA Today noted the Nationals still had to pay the rest of it out:

That contract is apparently at the center of the most recent decision, as Ghiroli reported, "it was the Nationals who approached Strasburg about retiring and paying him the full amount of his contract, sources briefed on the matter say. The team wants to change the terms."

Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post noted that the two sides "are still hammering out details of his retirement terms, so an official announcement will come at a later date. Strasburg's plans have not changed."

There may still be a celebration down the line, but it won't happen Saturday.