Likely to be “out for a while”
Jayson Werth could be out for several months after breaking his left wrist during the Washington Nationals – Philadelphia Phillies game Sunday night.
While attempting a sliding catch, Jayson Werth bent his wrist backward after his glove got caught underneath him as he was trying to catch a sinking liner by Placido Polanco in the sixth inning. Werth threw the ball back to the infield after remaining on the ground briefly. He then walked off the field holding his wrist.
Nationals manager Davey Johnson spoke with reporters after the game about the extent of the star right fielder’s injury. “He’s going to go see a specialist, but it’s broken in the opposite side of where he had the other problem. It was a clean break, and he’ll be out for a while.”
During spring training of 2005, Jayson Werth injured the same wrist. Playing for the Dodgers that season, he played 102 games before having a torn ligament in that wrist surgically repaired and missed all of 2006 while recovering.
“Never a good time to lose anybody, especially a guy in the heart of your lineup,” cleanup hitter Adam LaRoche said. “We were looking forward to this next series, this next week, being together again. Now we’re obviously short another big bat and a big part of this team. So, time for everybody to step up and make up for it as much as we can.”
LaRoche is expected to return to the field this week, as well as third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, after being on the disabled list. Cleanup hitter Michael Morse hasn’t played yet this season due to an injured back muscle.
The Nationals lost 9-3 to the Phillies on Sunday.
