Source: Nats’ Strasburg, out since ’22, to retire
Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg has decided to retire, ending a career that began as a No. 1 draft pick, included 2019 World Series MVP honors and was derailed by injuries, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.
Strasburg’s decision to retire was first reported by The Washington Post, with an official announcement expected to be made Sept. 9.
“When healthy, he was one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the game,” longtime teammate Ryan Zimmerman told The Associated Press on Thursday. “You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who worked harder than he did. He deserves to be celebrated because he was a pretty special player. You could argue that he lived up to, or even exceeded, what was expected of a No. 1 pick.”
Strasburg, who turned 35 last month, had his career knocked off course by injuries, making just eight starts since leading the Nationals to their first title in franchise history in 2019. He had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve and blood disorder, that involved removing a rib and two neck muscles.
The right-hander has not pitched since June 9, 2022 — his only start that season, which lasted 4⅔ innings before he went back on the injured list. He has thrown only 528 pitches in the majors since signing a $245 million, seven-year contract in December 2019 and did not report to spring training earlier this year after experiencing a setback.
“It’s been tough, I’m sure, for him and his family and the guys in this clubhouse miss him and we wish nothing but the best for him and what’s to come,” Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin said Thursday. “He’s a big reason why we’re here and a big reason why we have a championship ring.”
Strasburg, featuring a 100-plus mph fastball, was touted as a generational talent before becoming the first pick in the 2009 draft out of San Diego State, and he became one of the faces of Washington’s franchise after making his much-anticipated debut in 2010. He struck out 14 batters and allowed two runs on four hits with no walks against the Pittsburgh Pirates to win a memorable game that became known as “Strasmas.”
“To be the type of prospect that he was — in an age where everyone gets hyped up so much, you almost expect to be let down — and him being this next phenom, and then to actually do that in his first start, it was fun to be a part of that,” Zimmerman said. “The electricity. The crowd. The excitement. All for a game in the middle of the season. It was like something I’d never really seen before.”
After Strasburg had Tommy John surgery early in his career, the Nationals took heat for shutting him down late in the 2012 season despite him being 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA. Without their ace, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Division Series.
The long-term benefit of the shutdown didn’t emerge until October 2019, when Strasburg went 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA on Washington’s championship run and won each of his two starts against the Houston Astros in the World Series.
In the 2019 regular season, Strasburg went 18-6 to lead the National League in wins while also throwing an NL-high 209 innings.
In 2022, he made one appearance and pitched 4⅔ innings of a loss to the Miami Marlins on June 9, giving up seven earned runs on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Strasburg, a three-time All-Star, has spent his entire 13-year major league career with the Nationals. He is 113-62 with a 3.24 ERA over 247 career starts. His 1,723 strikeouts ranks first in Nationals history.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Tyler Johnson has announced his retirement after playing 13 NHL seasons and winning the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Johnson called it a career in a lengthy message posted on social media Monday. Johnson had battled injuries in recent years and is set to turn 35 on July 29.
“As a short kid from a small town, I saw my chances of playing in the NHL as very slim,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “But my family — my parents, Ken and Debbie, and my grandparents — believed in me when doubt clouded my mind. Their unwavering faith turned that dream into reality.”
Listed at 5-foot-8 and 191 pounds, Johnson won at just about ever level, capturing the Western Hockey League and Memorial Cup championships in 2008 with his hometown Spokane Chiefs and the Calder Cup championship with Norfolk of the American Hockey League in 2012.
The NHL brought more success, as he skated in 863 regular-season and playoff games since debuting in the league in 2013, putting up 498 points. Johnson was part of the Lightning’s core when they reached the final in 2015 and helped them hoist the Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21.
Johnson finished with Chicago, playing three seasons with the Blackhawks, and Boston, signing with the Bruins early last season following his training camp tryout.
“After a lifetime devoted to hockey, I’m ready for what’s next,” Johnson said. “This moment is bittersweet, but I leave the game with no regrets.”
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth re-signed center Jack McBain to a five-year contract worth $21.25 million on Monday.
McBain will count $4.25 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season, which was announced a little more than 24 hours since the team elected salary arbitration with the restricted free agent forward.
“He is a big, strong, physical player who competes hard on a nightly basis and brings a gritty toughness to our group,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “Jack is an important part of the championship-caliber team we are building, and we look forward to having him back on our roster for the foreseeable future.”
McBain, 25, is coming off setting a career high with 27 points and playing all 82 games. He was one of six players to skate in every game of the organization’s first season in Salt Lake City.
“Jack’s versatility as a player, his care for his teammates and his demonstrated willingness to do whatever it takes to win, are all critical elements to our future team success,” president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said.
McBain has 82 points in 241 games with the franchise, which moved to Utah from Arizona. Since debuting in April 2022, he ranks third in the league with 832 hits.
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