The Washington Nationals' plan to shut down starter Stephen Strasburg before the end of the season isn't sitting well with all of the young pitcher's teammates.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Johnson have said they will sideline Strasburg, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, at some point this season. Johnson has said Strasburg could be limited to 160 innings to protect the All-Star's future.

Strasburg has thrown 133 innings so far, and Nationals players are questioning whether sitting a star pitcher should be considered while Washington heads into a pennant race.

"You take the best pitchers off any team that has a chance to make it to the postseason and it's devastating," Mark DeRosa said, according to USA Today. "At the same time, we knew it going in. You kind of hoped the better we played the more the decision changed to the opposite."

The Nationals have the best record in baseball and a five-game lead in the National League East.

"If there's a decision to be made, it's their decision," Michael Morse told USA Today. "I'm pretty sure whatever we think isn't going to matter."