85-53 Nats?shut down 15-6 Strasburg

UPDATE: From Davey Johnson?s comments after last night?s game, it sounded like Stephen Strasburg might get an extra start, but the Nationals are actually pulling the plug early. According to Byron Kerr of MASN, Johnson just announced that Strasburg has been shut down effective immediately.

Strasburg was previously scheduled to make his final start of the season Wednesday against the Mets, but Johnson expressed concern after last night?s game that the controversy over the looming shutdown was effecting his performance. He will finish his season with a 15-6 record to go along with a 3.16 ERA and 197/48 K/BB ratio over 159 1/3 innings. John Lannan is expected to take his place in the starting rotation down the stretch.

10:44 AM: Stephen Strasburg?s impending shutdown was the big topic of conversation after he gave up five runs over just three innings last night against the Marlins. According to Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com, Nationals manager Davey Johnson thinks the whole situation is weighing on Strasburg?s mind.

?To be honest with you, I think he was thinking too much about the decision of what we were going to shut him down,? Davey Johnson said. ?And he kind wore it like it. ? I think he wasn?t focused as much on the game as he was on the impending shutdown. Just he way I read it.?

Strasburg said after the game that the looming shutdown had no impact on his performance last night, but Johnson said the young right-hander is ?having trouble sleeping, thinking about letting the guys down.? He is currently slated to make his final start of the season Wednesday against the Mets, but Johnson said that last night?s abbreviated outing ?might? make the Nationals reconsider their plan.

It?s hard to see how dragging this issue out for say, one extra start, is beneficial to anyone involved, but it looks like the Nationals want him to at least finish his season on a high note. The 24-year-old is currently at 159 1/3 innings in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery. He has a 3.16 ERA on the year, including a 3.73 ERA in 11 starts since the All-Star break.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/08/wednesday-might-not-be-stephen-strasburgs-final-start-of-the-year/related/

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