MLB rumors: Nationals pull rug out from under Stephen Strasburg as retirement in question

Stephen Strasburg has been expected to formally announce his retirement from baseball for weeks now. The announcement has largely been viewed as a mere formality to tie a bow on the end of his time in MLB and with the Washington Nationals.

Upon initial reporting, Strasburg was going to announce retirement on September 9th. His injury-riddled career and season led to the end of the road for Strasburg, and reporting since has indicated he was willing to hang it up because the Nationals offered to pay the remainder of his deal.

Now, that retirement appears to be in question.

Nationals refusing to pony up the money they offered Stephen Strasburg to retire

According to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, Strasburg's retirement presser -- which was also going to feature a number retirement for the pitcher who has been with Washington for his entire career -- has been cancelled.

Ghiroli also reported that the Nationals went to Strasburg to suggest retirement, with the condition they would pay him the full remaining value of his contract. Now, the team wants to change the terms.

Strasburg is owed $105 million across 2024, 2025, and 2026.

It puts Strasburg's retirment in question, which to public knowledge, has not been made official just yet. Until pen is to paper on the seeming handshake agreement, it's not official.

That, ostensibly, means that Strasburg's retirement may not happen as initially thought. If the money the Nationals promised isn't on the table, it certainly changes things as far as whether or not he wants to try to keep in the game again.

That, still, feels wildly unlikely, considering his recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome has made even everyday tasks difficult for the pitcher. Ghiroli described him as, "100 percent disabled." Regardless, the terms of his retirement will still be different, if nothing else.

The facts as they are now are a horrible look for the Nationals. They went from honoring a World Series hero and career-long National with a great send-off to pulling the rug out from under him. Bad look.