Almost all of them could be justified at the time. That’s how usually any bad decision starts, right? The Washington Wizards didn’t agree to give John Wall more than $150 million to sit in street clothes. They did so because he was undoubtedly their best player, coming off a great season.
So when Stephen Strasburg signed his seven-year, $245 million deal in December 2019, the chants of “Stephen! Stephen!” at the Nationals’ championship parade were still relatively fresh. He was, after all, the World Series MVP. And for a man whose debut was nicknamed “Strasmas,” this contract was the biggest gift of all for the ace pitcher.