Nats sticking with plan for Strasburg innings limit

The team announced in April that Strasburg, who returned from Tommy John surgery, would be limited to 160 innings this season. After the All-Star break, manager Davey Johnson said that plan hasn't changed.

Prior to the break, Strasburg said he had "no clue" as to how many innings he would throw this season, and added that "nobody's said anything" to him about an innings limit.

The righty threw 99 innings in 17 starts en route to a 9-4 record with a 2.82 ERA in the first half of the season, and he leads the National League with 128 strikeouts. At his current pace, Strasburg would reach the 160-inning limit by his 28th start of the season, which would likely be in early September.

That won't prevent the Nationals, who sit atop the National League East, from shutting down the All-Star righty during the final stretch of the season.

"I'm a stubborn guy," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. "We're not going to change the direction that we think is best for the player and best for the franchise, so we're going to do what's best for the player."