MLB Rumors: Padres 'In Position' to Pursue Stephen Strasburg in Free Agency

Days after Stephen Strasburg helped bring home the Washington Nationals' first World Series title in franchise history, a report has emerged positing that the 31-year-old ace could be returning home to San Diego in free agency.

The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee had the scoop Sunday: "Whether the Padres land one of the prized starting pitchers or simply add a bat, multiple people in the organization indicated over the past few days that the team will be in position to make a run at Stephen Strasburg, the World Series MVP who on Saturday opted out of his contract with the Nationals."

Strasburg attended West Hills High School in the San Diego suburb of Santee, California, before playing collegiately at San Diego State. Acee also noted that both Strasburg's parents and his wife Rachel's parents live in San Diego County. However, "the belief in baseball is the Nationals are the favorites to keep Strasburg—just at a higher price than previously committed."

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Saturday of Strasburg's plans to opt out of the final four years and $100 million of his current seven-year, $175 million contract.

Passan added: "Like Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg made himself an extraordinary amount of money this season. Between his NL-leading 209 innings and his incredible playoff performance, Strasburg looking at a deal that exceeds his original $175M contract with the Nationals. That's the floor."

Strasburg went 2-0 in his World Series starts en route to the Nats topping the Houston Astros in seven games. The right-hander delivered a gem in Game 6 to force a Game 7, allowing two earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts across 8.1 innings pitched.

Overall in the postseason, Strasburg became the first pitcher in league history to go 5-0 as well as the third pitcher to win five games and notched the second-most strikeouts in a single postseason:

Strasburg is the first former top overall pick to go on and be named World Series MVP. The 2009 No. 1 overall selection has spent his entire MLB career with the Nationals. While he led the National League with 18 wins and posted MLB's eighth-best WHIP at 1.04 in the 2019 regular season, the beginning of his career was rockier.

Strasburg made his debut in 2010 but suffered a UCL tear in August of that year that required Tommy John surgery. The three-time All-Star returned on Sept. 6, 2011, and made five starts before the season's conclusion. In 2012, Strasburg bounced back with a 15-6 record but was shut down for the remainder of the season on Sept. 8 because of an already-established innings limit to steel him against further injury.

That particular history with injury may play a role in Strasburg's decision to capitalize as a free agent now rather than stay on a more team-friendly deal. It's also worth noting that Strasburg's agent is Scott Boras, who also represents Bryce Harper and navigated him away from the Nationals last season to Philadelphia on a 13-year, $330 million deal.

The Nationals will also have to decide whether to pay up for All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon, who will hit free agency, on top of trying to keep Strasburg. Washington declined first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's $18 million team option as well as catcher Yan Gomes' worth $9 million, but securing both Rendon and Strasburg still will be difficult.