Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, following his team's seven-game triumph over the Houston Astros, was named World Series MVP. As such, his place in the Washington baseball pantheon is quite secure. That said, it's entirely possible that Strasburg won't be a member of the Nationals for much longer. 

Strasburg just completed the third year of the seven-year, $175 million contract extension he signed in May 2016. However, that pact includes an opt-out that allows him to become a free agent right now (and after the 2020 season). Strasburg has until Saturday to make his decision, and as MLB.com's Mark Feinsand points out the deadline for his decision is two hours before the Nationals' World Series parade is scheduled to begin. 

Yeah, the timing is potentially a bit awkward, but that's not going to cast any kind of shadow over the celebration of the city's first World Series title since 1924. As for Strasburg's decision, he must determine whether he can make more on the open market than the $100 million he's owed over the final four years of his contract with the Nats. Barring the wholly unexpected, Strasburg will certainly do that. 

He's coming off an age-30 season in which he pitched to a 138 ERA+ and registered a K/BB ratio of 4.48 while leading the NL in innings pitched. Speaking of innings, throw in his outstanding postseason run and Strasburg in 2019 worked 245 1/3 innings, threw almost 4,000 pitches, and maintained peak stuff all the while. For a pitcher whose only shortcoming was durability, that's huge -- especially given that nothing predicts future pitching injuries like injuries in the season prior. Strasburg has proved capable of ace-grade results, and he's fresh off a season in which he showed new levels of stamina on the mound. If he chooses to hit the market, he's going to get paid more than the $100 million he's owed. 

Strasburg's a Nationals lifer since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2009, and maybe those tethers play a role in his decision. Really, though, the rational choice is to opt out and maximize his earnings. It's still possible that the Nats and Strasburg could work out an extension that pays him something more in line with market rates going forward, but ownership may be operating with one eye on the luxury tax threshold, which the club is right up against. If that's the case, then that oddly timed parade may be the last time we see Strasburg surrounded by Nationals teammates.