Washington Nationals News: Wilmer Difo To Undergo Surgery On Broken Hand
By Ricky Keeler
Even though the Washington Nationals season is over, their offseason already started with another major injury. In Saturday night’s win over the New York Mets in game two of their doubleheader, second baseman Wilmer Difo left the game in the top of the third inning after sliding into first base on an infield single against Matt Harvey. While Difo did get the first hit for the Nats and was rewarded for his hustle, it came as a price.
According to James Wagner of the Washington Post, the 23-year-old Difo will have surgery after fracturing the fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand. Due to this injury, Difo will not be going to the Arizona Fall League when that season begins in a couple of weeks and he will not participate in the Dominican Winter League.
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After Difo left the game Saturday night, Dan Uggla took his place and made two of the bigger plays in the game. He snagged a line drive hit off the bat of Curtis Granderson in the top of the fourth and he hit a solo home run off of Hansel Robles in the seventh inning to score the Nats’ second run of the night.
As far as Difo goes, he played in 15 games this season and went 2-for-11 with a run scored. Down in the minors, he hit .286 with five home runs, 53 RBI’s, had a .325 on-base percentage, and stole 30 bases with high-A Potomac and low-A Harrisburg. In his final 26 games with the Senators during the month of August, Difo hit .325 with one home run, 18 RBI’s, and nine stolen bases.
With this setback to his offseason, Difo will miss out on getting more chances to develop and compete with another young Nats infield prospect, Trea Turner. Turner will be playing in the AFL when that season begins on October 13 (next Tuesday). Both Turner and Difo will be competing for a roster spot next season, but most expect Turner to be the new shortstop in DC with Ian Desmond heading to free agency.
Difo has shown flashes at times with his speed and could bring a spark to the Nats’ bench next season, but he has to be able to improve his average a little bit. For the Nats, they hope that Difo’s first start that took place on Saturday night is only the first of many this young infielder makes for them in his baseball future.
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