Stephen Strasburg

Three-time All-Star and 2019 World Series MVP who spent his entire MLB career with the Washington Nationals.

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Stephen James Strasburg (born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who is currently an assistant with the San Diego State Aztecs baseball program. He spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time All-Star and the World Series MVP of the Nationals team that won the 2019 World Series.

Quick Facts

Career note: Multiple Tommy John surgeries (2011, 2018, 2022); also underwent carpal tunnel neuritis surgery in 2020

Lore & Background

Strasburg was born in San Diego, California, to Jim Strasburg, a real estate developer, and Kathleen Swett Strasburg, a dietician. He grew up a San Diego Padres fan. He credits his maternal grandmother with helping him develop his baseball skills as a child. He attended West Hills High School in Santee, California. He was not selected in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. He played college baseball for the San Diego State Aztecs, coached by Baseball Hall of Fame player Tony Gwynn. He was named to the United States national baseball team on June 24, 2008, and won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He was selected by Washington with the first overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft. He signed a record-breaking four-year, $15.1 million contract with the Nationals on August 17, 2009.

Reader's Guide

Strasburg recorded a franchise-record 14 strikeouts in his major league debut in June 2010. He tore a ligament in his pitching elbow in his 12th major league game, requiring Tommy John surgery. He rejoined the Nationals in September 2011. He was selected to the 2012 MLB All-Star Game.

He led the National League in strikeouts in 2014. He signed a seven-year contract extension during the 2016 season, and was an All-Star in 2016 and 2017. He led the NL in wins in 2019 with 18. He received the World Series Most Valuable Player Award for starting and winning two games against the Houston Astros as the Nationals won their first championship.

After the 2019 World Series, he opted out of his contract and re-signed on a larger seven-year, $245 million deal running through 2026. He pitched only 31 innings after signing that contract, making his final appearance in 2022. After repeated attempts to repair damage from thoracic outlet syndrome failed, he officially retired in 2024.

Did You Know?

Strasburg struck out a Mountain West Conference record 23 batters in a game versus the University of Utah on April 11, 2008.
He threw his first career no-hitter on May 8, 2009, striking out 17 Air Force Falcons batters.
His maternal grandmother frequently played catch and worked on pitching with him as a child.

Gallery

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Stephen Strasburg to the Washington Nationals?

He is the franchise's modern-era ace and the pitcher most tightly linked to the Nationals' identity from roughly 2010 through 2020. Taken first overall in the 2009 draft, he became the public face of the club for about a decade.

What draft pick was Stephen Strasburg?

Strasburg was selected first overall in the 2009 MLB Draft, making him the highest-graded player ever chosen by the Nationals. That single pick essentially defined the franchise's modern era.

How many Tommy John surgeries did Strasburg undergo?

Three, in 2011, 2018, and 2020. Each one cost him a major portion of a season and became a recurring source of frustration for the fanbase.

Did Stephen Strasburg win a World Series with the Nationals?

Yes, he was part of the 2019 championship run, the only World Series title in franchise history. It remains the single biggest moment of his career with Washington.

What was Strasburg's fastball like?

His four-seam fastball regularly sat in the mid-90s to 98 mph range, making him the fastest arm the Nationals ever called their own. That raw velocity, paired with his competitive fire, made him a genuinely intimidating presence on the mound.