With four injuries in less than five hours, it appears we’ve crossed the line from discussing who’s in shape to who’s hurt.
Prior to the game, Ryan Zimmerman (groin), Ivan Rodriguez (calf), Michael Morse (upset stomach), were pulled from the lineup in what would seem like quick succession thanks to the latest forms of communication. Morse is expected to play today while Zimmerman and Rodriguez are expected to be out longer.
During the game, Danny Espinosa went down after fouling a ball off the top of his right foot, setting the Natmosphere, um, atwitter with tweets about Espinosa being carried to the locker room “unable to put weight on his right leg.” Perhaps that pic above isn’t so inappropriate because first reports are often wrong, as this morning we now know that the injury is the more mundane “bad bruise that will require a precautionary X-ray.”
Prior to the injury, Espinosa had been 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
For the game itself, the Nationals lost to the Mets 5-2, the highlight being fifth-starter candidate Tom Gorzelanny’s four innings pitched, one run allowed on two hits and three walks and four strikeouts to make his case beyond “he’s out of options.”
Unfortunately, the same cannot be written about Craig Stammen and Henry Rodriguez.
Stammen was torched touched for three runs in his 1⅔ innings of work, allowing three hits and a walk with no strikeouts. Henry Rodriguez managed not to walk anybody but allowed a run on two hits in his one inning pitched.
Competing relievers Collin Balester and Brian Broderick made their cases, with Balester stranding two inherited runners while getting the final out of the sixth and Broderick allowing just a walk while pitching a scoreless eighth.
Other notable prospects…
- Chris Marrero had an RBI single in his lone at-bat, but continues to impress with his improved defense.
- Destin Hood went hitless in his lone at-bat as a pinch-hitter in the ninth for Broderick.
- Derek Norris was 0-for-1 with a walk, catching the final two innings.
The Nationals play again this afternoon in Kissimmee against the Houston Astros, with Ross Detwiler expected to start.