2019 World Series MVP Strasburg plans to retire (source)

2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg is planning to retire from baseball, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Thursday. The news was first reported by The Washington Post. The Nationals have a press conference tentatively scheduled for Sept. 9, according to The Post. The Nationals have not confirmed the report.

Strasburg has not pitched since June 9, 2022, when he made his only appearance of the season for Washington. He underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in 2021 and has not been able to make a full return from that procedure.

The former No. 1 overall pick is a fan-favorite for helping the Nationals to the franchise's first World Series title in 2019. He made two starts in the series against the Astros and won both of them, striking out 14 and allowing just four runs. 

Strasburg signed a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Nationals after that World Series-winning season, at the time breaking the record for the highest-value contract for a pitcher. Since putting pen to paper on that deal, Strasburg pitched only 31 1/3 innings. 

Over his 13-year career, all with the Nationals, Strasburg was a three-time All-Star with a 113-62 record, a 3.24 ERA and 1,723 strikeouts. When he reached 1,500 K's in 2019, he was the fastest pitcher by innings to reach that mark.