Strasburg deal could open trade floodgates

The Washington Nationals are committed to paying Stephen Strasburg through 2023 — or at least 2019, if he exercises the first of his two opt-out clauses.

The seven-year, $175 million extension the two sides agreed to on Monday night, according to a source, is the largest contractual guarantee for a Tommy John surgery recipient, surpassing the mark set last winter by Strasburg’s former teammate, Jordan Zimmermann. The Nationals have not confirmed the agreement, which was first reported by the Washington Post and will reportedly be announced at a Tuesday news conference.

The agreement is a certifiable stunner, given the infinitesimal percentage of elite Scott Boras clients who have chosen to sign extensions this close to free-agent paydays. And the deal will have massive ramifications on the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline and 2016-2017 offseason market.

Strasburg’s sudden absence from the upcoming free-agent class effectively removes the possibility of any Major League Baseball franchise signing a No. 1 starter and perhaps even a solid No. 2. Japanese right-hander Shohei Otani — the Yu Darvish-like ace of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters — is unlikely to be posted this winter, and the domestic free-agent pool is devoid of top-end talent.

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