SAN DIEGO — Stephen Strasburg returned to the Washington Nationals with a record contract on the first day of the winter meetings, a deal that puts fellow free agent pitcher Gerrit Cole in position for an even larger payday. Washington and the World Series MVP agreed to a $245 million, seven-year contact, a deal of surprising size and length for a 31-year-old right-hander with an injury filled resume. Strasburg received the highest deal for a pitcher in both total dollars and average annual value at $35 million.