Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, 35, who has been called a “monster pitcher,” is leaving the game after failing to return from an injury.

“Strasburg has decided to retire,” the Associated Press reported on Friday, citing sources. Strasburg will hold a news conference next month on April 10 to explain his decision.

Considered an all-time great talent while attending San Diego State University, Strasburg entered Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2009 with high expectations. He was selected by Washington with the first overall pick in the first round of the rookie draft.

In his big league debut in 2010, Strasburg went 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 games and established himself as a mainstay in the starting rotation with double-digit wins the following year. He then went on to post six straight years of double-digit wins from 2014 through 2019.

In 2019, he set career highs with an 18-6 record and 3.32 ERA in 33 starts (209 innings). The Nats went on to win the World Series behind Strasburg’s performance. Strasburg pitched two games in the World Series, going 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA, and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP).

The Nats pursued a long-term deal with Strasburg after the 2019 season. They signed him to a seven-year, $245 million mega free agent contract.

However, the deal turned out to be one of the worst of all time. Strasburg began his downward spiral in his first season as a free agent.온라인바카

In 2020, Strasburg went under the knife for carpal tunnel syndrome, a neurological issue, and finished the season with a dismal 1-5 record and a 10.80 ERA. In 2021, he was limited to five games due to shoulder soreness, and in 2022, he started just one game due to an elbow injury.

Injuries have plagued him this season as well, and he hasn’t taken the mound since. Strasburg, who struggled with the after-effects of surgery for neurological issues, eventually decided to hang up his uniform.

After signing a long-term deal with the Nats in 2019, Strasburg appeared in just eight games (31⅓ innings) over four seasons, winning just one. He still has three years left on his contract with the Nats after retirement and will receive all of his remaining salary.