Right this moment’s sport between the Nationals and the Orioles included a scary second the place Nats middle fielder Jacob Younger crashed into the outfield wall at full pace and went down, as famous by Spencer Nausbaum of the Washington Put up. He ultimately departed the sport with a left shoulder harm and was changed by Alex Name within the outfield. Thankfully, Nausbaum was amongst these to notice after the sport that x-rays on Younger’s shoulder got here again unfavorable. The 25-year-old’s standing stays unsure forward of additional analysis tomorrow, nevertheless it’s undeniably a great omen for the membership on the heels of an thrilling win over Baltimore.
Younger, 25, hasn’t hit a lot in his second season as an everyday fixture of the Nationals lineup. Throughout 124 plate appearances this season, he’s posted a meager slash line of simply .215/.300/.252 with zero house runs and simply 4 doubles. Regardless of that lackluster efficiency on the dish, nonetheless, Younger has largely made up for it with elite protection and base operating. Younger has been within the 88th percentile in the case of worth on the basepaths this 12 months in response to Statcast even despite his league-leading 4 failed stolen base makes an attempt. The protection has been practically pretty much as good, as his +2 Outs Above Common leaves him tied for sixth amongst NL middle fielders with different robust defenders like Brenton Doyle and Johan Rojas.
With James Wooden and Dylan Crews within the outfield corners each day and Name posting a strong 114 wRC+ in part-time responsibility, Younger might must hit extra with a purpose to hold himself within the lineup regularly within the long-term, significantly with prospect Robert Hassell III starting to hit on the Triple-A stage this 12 months. For now, nonetheless, the Nationals will certainly content material themselves with a fast return to motion for his or her middle fielder, on condition that the lack of Younger would doubtless pressure Crews to slip over to middle discipline on a extra common foundation. With Crews scuffling badly on the plate himself thus far within the 12 months, the Nats would certainly choose to keep away from placing extra tasks on his plate at this level.
Extra from across the NL East…
- The Mets optioned infielder Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A immediately after ending his rehab project on the Double-A stage. As famous by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the transfer is basically procedural in nature on condition that Mauricio was already within the minors. Mauricio missed all the 2024 season after struggling a torn ACL throughout winter ball, and he’s appeared in simply ten video games within the minors to date this 12 months as he works his manner again in control with 5 video games at Single-A and 5 video games at Double-A. Now, Mauricio is ready to complete getting again into type with the membership’s Syracuse affiliate. Given he’s hitting simply .125/.176/.188 with a 35.9% strikeout charge to date this 12 months, it’s protected to say that Mauricio remains to be targeted on restoration at this level and sure received’t be a sensible massive league possibility for the Mets for a while but.
- The Marlins, in the meantime, have been with out shortstop Xavier Edwards within the lineup for 2 days now resulting from again soreness. Craig Mish of the Miami Herald relayed immediately that, in response to supervisor Clayton McCullough, Edwards underwent imaging that “got here out OK” and that Edwards was slated to renew baseball actions immediately. It’s unclear if Edwards is anticipated to return to the lineup tomorrow, but when a visit to the injured checklist is being thought of that might be a really perfect time to decide seeing as a hypothetical IL stint may very well be backdated due Could 16 if it started tomorrow. Edwards was one of many membership’s higher hitters in 70 video games final 12 months however has hit simply .263/.337/.292 thus far within the 2025 marketing campaign. Javier Sanoja is filling in at shortstop whereas Edwards is out of fee.
