MLB Twitter reacts to Nationals owner Mark Lerner claiming there was never a Stephen Strasburg retirement ceremony planned - "Pathetic organization"

The Stephen Strasburg retirement ceremony was just a rumor, according to Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner. He has come out denying the ceremony and found it regrettable that their private conversations have been made public.

Reports stated the Nationals would celebrate Strasburg's retirement on Saturday, September 9. Lerner said the team was preparing for a ceremony, but one was never set in stone or promoted to the public.

Lerner went on to say that he hopes the private discussions between the two sides remain private. He ended his statement by ushering his excitement to see Strasburg next season in Spring Training.

This has turned into quite the situation over a short amount of time. Aside from the retirement ceremony controversy, rumors circulated that the Nationals are not certain they want to pay the rest of Strasburg's deal.

"What an embarrassing and pathetic organization" one fan posted.

"He won them a championship, let him retire in peace" another fan posted.

Baseball fans cannot believe the Washington Nationals are forcing Stephen Strasburg's hand. Even with all his injuries, he brought the organization a World Series trophy in 2019, winning the MVP award for that series.

Expecting to see him in Spring Training is just absurd. Injuries have plagued him, and he has not thrown a pitch since June 2022.

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Stephen Strasburg may have to wait until his contract expires to retire

Colorado Rockies v Washington Nationals

Stephen Strasburg may have to wait until his contract expires to officially retire with how things are going. If that is the case, he will retire after the 2026 season comes to an end.

It is unlikely Strasburg would return to the mound after making the decision to retire. He was shut down from all baseball activities in June as he is dealing with severe nerve damage.

The last few seasons for Strasburg have been a nightmare. In 2020, he dealt with carpal tunnel neuritis in his pitching hand. The following year, he dealt with shoulder inflammation and a neck strain. In 2021, he underwent surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome.

Strasburg has done his best to get healthy, but it just hasn't worked. It is unfortunate for someone who was taken with the first pick in the 2009 MLB Draft.

This will be a situation that fans will want to keep an eye on. It can get a lot uglier before anything gets resolved.