Lane Thomas to Illinois with MCL sprain:
As of Wednesday morning, Washington GM and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo was still hoping for good news from an MRI scan on Lane Thomas’ left knee.
Thomas awkwardly slid into second base Tuesday night while attempting to steal a base and left the game after a few innings.
Thomas told reporters that he made the decision to leave the game, which was tied when he left the field, because his knee became stiff as last night’s game progressed.
• Thomas’ thoughts on the injury: “My cleats were kind of hanging on the outside, so I had a little bit of an awkward glide, and my weight had to be on top of them, so it felt a little awkward.”
“In a situation like that, you want to act tough and stay in the game,” Thomas said, explaining his decision to stay after the injury.
“But the more I went out into the field, the more I started thinking, “I’m still tied down. I don’t want to be the reason why I’m not tied down.” So I thought, “Maybe it’s better for someone else to come out here.” I thought, ‘I can’t do that.’
Lane Thomas injury update.
Davey Martinez and Lane Thomas discuss Thomas’ Grade 2 CNS sprain from last night’s game with the media. pic.twitter.com/pFcWMCuclE
— MASN Nationals (@masnNationals) April 24, 2024
Just like him, I left the game, Lizzo told 106.7 Fan on DC’s Sports Junkiesan IL stint for Thomas seemed likely.
“We’ll see the extent of the damage, but I hope it’s not too bad, even if he has to continue.” [IL]I wish it were shorter. [IL] Stint.I would probably expect him to take the next step. [IL] Because you’re not going to walk off the field like that and get an MRI when you play the next day. ”
Before last night’s game, the Nationals announced that Thomas would be placed on the 10-day IL due to a sprained left MCL.
“he [sprain] It was an MCL injury, a left foot injury,” manager Davey Martinez told reporters at the pregame press conference. “Really, it’s better news than the best-case scenario. It could have been a lot worse.
“After I saw it on reruns, he arranged it pretty well, so I don’t have a schedule.
“He’s going to have to get some rest here and then we’ll try to get him back up and running and get him back as soon as possible.”
“It definitely could have been a lot worse,” Thomas said. “It wasn’t that crazy.
“They haven’t given me a specific deadline yet, but hopefully obviously sooner rather than later.”
Not yet James Wood:
If there was any hope the Nationals would call up James Wood in the wake of Lane Thomas’ injury and news of the outfielder remaining on the IL, GM Mike Rizzo put the brakes on that chatter early Wednesday morning. Ta. We were still waiting for the results of the MRI test on Thomas’ knee (At least from what they say publicly).
But Rizzo was pretty clear that the Nationals acquired Wood, 21, the Padres’ 2021 second-round pick, in the Juan Soto trade. Currently hitting .303, .418 OBP, .474 SLG (as of Wednesday morning, Triple-A), he probably won’t be called up to the majors to replace Thomas. .
“I don’t know what path we’re going to take,” Rizzo told Audacy’s The Sports Junkies on 106.7 the FAN.
When asked about James Wood being called up, he replied:
“I don’t know what route I’m going to take…If Lane had to go (Illinois) today, I’d say no, it wouldn’t happen. It wouldn’t be James. But that’s the way it is. Not necessarily… Once we know the extent of Lane’s injury, that could change the equation.”
— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) April 24, 2024
“If it were today, I would think if Lane had to go to the game.” [IL] Today, I would say no.it wouldn’t be james [Wood]However, this is not necessarily the case. Knowing the extent of Lane’s injury could change the equation. ”
Even with the results, the equation did not change.
Trey Lipscomb got the call, and Wood will continue to do what he’s doing in Rochester for now.
“He’s doing great, don’t get me wrong,” Davey Martinez said Wednesday when asked about Wood before the second of three games against LA in D.C. “But we want him to step up to the plate in Triple-A and continue to do what he’s doing. There’s no doubt he’ll meet James Wood. But we want him to continue to be really happy with himself. , I hope they keep him moving forward.”
Irvin VS LA again:
Before last night’s game, Davey Martinez talked about what he expected from starting pitcher Jake Irvin in the right-hander’s second straight matchup with the Dodgers.
“For him, it’s just attacking that strike zone,” Martinez said. “He did a really great job there.” [in LA]. He doesn’t really need to change much. ”
Irvin pitched six scoreless innings against the Dodgers in his last outing at Dodger Stadium against a NL West powerhouse, but he wasn’t as good last night at Nationals Park.
Irvin, 27, was hammered with 12 hits and six earned runs in four games. 2⁄3 IP, throws 103 pitches (66 strikes) while he was out before being pulled up (After throwing 73 pitches (54 strikes) in six innings at Chavez Ravine.).
Irvin and the Nationals trailed early, and the Dodgers scored and the home team lost 11-2.
Asked after the game about Irvin’s outing, Martinez said, “He was off.”
“His direction wasn’t as sharp as it was when we were playing over there. So, but look, he fought.
“I was hoping he would get out of there. [fifth] We gave him innings, five innings and stretched him out as much as we could. ”
As it turned out, it wasn’t Irvin’s night, Martinez said.
He pitched well at times, but today he just wasn’t consistent. He fell behind, and that’s what attracted him. ”
“That’s the hardest thing,” Irvin told reporters.
“You’re going to go out there and face a lineup like that. If you can’t get out in front and put yourself in good position to throw in good counts, it makes your job very difficult.”