Nationals manager Davey Johnson announced Saturday that pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s season is over.
A move that was expected to happen comes a day after Strasburg was knocked around for five runs in three innings against Miami. However Strasburg was scheduled to make one more start this Wednesday against the Mets which will obviously not happen with John Lannan taking his place.
Johnson cites the early shutdown to Strasburg not being with it mentally due to an early end to his season.
Here’s exactly what Johnson had to say according to CSN Washington (via Hardball Talk):
“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 the way I read it.”
Strasburg obviously disagreed with Johnson’s decision but at this point it was already foregone conclusion that he (Strasburg) wouldn’t be with the team the entire season. Now the National will attempt to clinch the NL East and make a run in the playoffs without the services of Strasburg who finishes the 2012 campaign with a 3.16 ERA and a whip of 1.15 to go with 197 strikeouts.
h/t: HardballTalk.com, CSN Washington