With concern centering around Stephen Strasburg following Monday's 3-2 loss to the Braves, the offense also may not have come out unscathed. Right fielder Jayson Werth, the team's second-leading home run hitter and run producer, fouled a ball off his ankle and aggravated his hamstring.
Near the end of the game, Werth felt cramping in the seventh inning while racing to catch a fly ball and make a throw home. During his eighth inning at-bat against reliever Eric O’Flaherty, Werth fouled a ball off his left ankle.
He fell to the ground, rolled around and got up gingerly. Nationals' trainer Lee Kuntz and Davey Johnson came out to check on him. He finished the at-bat but was replaced the next inning in right field by Roger Bernadina.
The ankle was a little swollen after the game, Werth said. The hamstring, while it bugged the veteran outfielder, doesn't seem to be a major concern, yet. "I'll be fine, it's not like a strain or anything," he said. "Just a cramp. Those things happen. Sometimes they happen and you guys never hear about them. The ankle probably (makes) the situation worse."
Two teammates have dealt with hamstring issues over recent weeks, Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos. Zimmerman’s hamstring strain, which landed him on the 15-day disabled list, began as hamstring cramping.
Ramos was reinstated from the DL on Monday, backing up Kurt Suzuki in the loss to the Braves.
The Nationals organization is certainly hoping Werth's fate won't be similar to Zimmerman's. With the offense currently dealing with inconsistencies, they can't afford to lose Werth's bat in the lineup. Especially with Ryan Zimmerman expected to return this Friday, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Werth is due to test things out Tuesday before determining whether he'll need any time off.
With the additional scare to Stephen Strasburg on Monday night, who is currently dealing with forearm stiffness following his start against the Braves, the Nationals fan base will now hold their breath until both Werth and Strasburg are in the clear health wise.
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