By Fitzgerald Cecilio

The Washington Nationals have decided that Stephen Strasburg's last start will come on the road Sept. 12 against the New York Mets.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson was among the members of the Nationals' front office and coaching staff that discussed the shutdown with Strasburg.

Strasburg, who has thrown 156 1/3 innings so far this season, will make two more starts. He tossed six shutout innings in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Cardinals.

The meeting included Johnson, general manager Mike Rizzo and pitching coach Steve McCatty.

"McCatty, Mike Rizzo, myself and (Strasburg), we were able to have a nice little conversation," Johnson said. "He hates McCatty more than he did before the meeting, and me and Rizzo. It's no secret that (Strasburg) is an intense competitor.

"He wants to be here, wants to be contributing, wants to be helping, and I'm sure it's probably eating him up more than anybody involved in this whole thing, because he wants to be here and helping his teammates."

The Nationals set an innings limit for Strasburg from the start of the season. In his first full season since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in September 2010, the 24-year-old right-hander is 15-6 with a 2.94 ERA and a National League-leading 195 strikeouts.

"He's worked harder than anybody coming back from that surgery, and this is what you dream about being a part of. I know how he feels," Johnson said.

Strasburg hasn't commented much on the pending shutdown and is focusing on the stretch run.

"I just don't have anything to say," Strasburg said. "I'm in it with these guys and we've still got a long way to go, but I'm going to fight with (Rizzo) until the end."

 

Nationals Talk Shutdown with Ace Strasburg