While Washington general manager Mike Rizzo won't commit to an exact number, he's sticking behind the decision to shut Strasburg down at some point this season, in the right-hander's first full season after Tommy John surgery.
Rizzo told the New York Post that the plan "is not changing," but he refused to give an actual number, especially given the fact that the Nats opened play on Wednesday in first place in the National League East.
What is clear, though, is that Rizzo is insistent on doing whatever he and the club feels is best for Strasburg.
"To ask [Strasburg] to throw 200 innings now, that is not a prudent way to do business with a 23-year-old, top-of-the-rotation starter we plan to have for a long time," Rizzo told the Post. "[Shutting him down] is going to be painful, and we are going to take grief. But I will not shy away from it. I am the caretaker of this organization for the long haul."
Rizzo also added that the Nationals won't do anything like shutting Strasburg down for an extended period of time in order to make sure that he doesn't hit his innings number until later in the season. In short, when Strasburg gets to the number — whatever that number actually is — he's done.
"The situation hasn’t changed, and it won't matter where we are in the standings," Rizzo said. "[Making the call to shut Strasburg down] is not about guts. It is the right thing to do."
Washington opened play on Wednesday with the second-best record in baseball at 37-23, sitting four games ahead of the Braves in the NL East.
