Saturday morning, Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson announced that Stephen Strasburg would be shut down for the remainder of the season, effective immediately, one start earlier than expected. Johnson made the decision after seeing the young right-hander struggle through his Friday night start against the Miami Marlins. Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider has general manager Mike Rizzo's response to the shutdown decision:
Rizzo said he agreed with the decision, citing both the physical fatigue he saw from Strasburg over the second half of the season and the mental fatigue he saw last night.
"I think the accumulation of the focus problems and the physical fatigue took its toll on him," Rizzo said. "I think what the doctors had prescribed for him, the innings parameters, were right on. It was a prudent time to pull the plug. It was a plan we had since Feb. 1. I don't think too many people should be surprised by it."
Lefthander John Lannan will take Strasburg's spot in the Washington rotation.
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