World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg just became the highest paid pitcher ever

It's been a pretty good year for Stephen Strasburg, to say the least.

The right-handed pitcher is sticking with the Washington Nationals for what will likely be the remainder of his career, just a few weeks after he led the franchise to its first ever World Series title. Strasburg, who was crowned World Series MVP, turned his performance into a massive 7-year, $245 million contract Monday, making him the highest paid pitcher ever — in terms of both overall contract and average annual salary.

It's quite a pay raise for the former No. 1 overall draft pick. Strasburg actually signed a long-term deal to remain in D.C. in 2016. That deal was anything but paltry — it was a 7-year contract worth $175 million, with an opt-out clause — but before 2019, it wasn't clear if Strasburg would exercise that opt-out because of the difficult state of MLB free agency. His on-field performance, particularly in the postseason, eventually made the decision a no-brainer.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Strasburg might only hold on to his monetary record for a short time, though. Houston Astros starter Gerrit Cole is also expected to snag a deal somewhere in that neighborhood and it looks like there might be a bidding war for his services between high-rollers like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Los Angeles Angels.