Nationals: Reasons for and against Stephen Strasburg opting out

One of the biggest questions going into the offseason will be whether or not the Washington Nationals former first-round pick, Stephen Strasburg, will become a free agent.

Coming into the 2019 season I don’t think there was much doubt that Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg wouldn’t opt-out of his current contract.

With the current state of free agency being what it is, and with him still being owed $100 million over the next four years, it didn’t seem like there would be much sense in him opting out and testing the free agent market at age 31.

But after putting together perhaps the best season of his career, there is growing speculation that Strasburg will indeed opt-out and become a free agent.

Once the final out of the World Series is recorded, Strasburg will have five days to decide whether or not to remain with the Washington Nationals or become a free agent.

If he does become a free agent, he’ll become one of the top free agent starting pitchers available along with World Series counterpart Gerrit Cole.

Strasburg was drafted 1-1 by the Washington Nationals in the 2009 MLB Draft and has spent the last 10 seasons in DC where he’s won 112 games with a 3.17 ERA and 1,695 strikeouts in 1,438.2 innings.

He’s top 10 in almost every all-time category for Nationals pitchers. He’s third in WAR at 32.6, ninth in ERA, second in wins, second in K/9 at 10.60, second in games started with 239, and first in strikeouts.