Washington Nationals Rapid Reaction: Clayton Kershaw Silences Nats Offense
By Ricky Keeler
Apr 23, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa (8) bunts the ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Nationals Park. Espinosa was safe on a throwing error. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Danny Espinosa Injured In 9th Inning
With the Nationals down 4-0 in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers were able to begin the inning with back-to-back singles from Justin Turner and Adrian Gonzalez. On the Gonzalez single, Danny Espinosa made an early dive at the ball, but missed it. Espinosa would stay on the ground and eventually would leave the game, causing Nats fans to worry about whether or not another starter was going to be out for an extended period of time.
After the game, manager Matt Williams told the media that as of right now, the Espinosa injury isn’t serious and that he should be okay:
If Espinosa as going to be out for an extended period time, it would have been another big blow for the Nats. According to Baseball Reference, Espinosa’s 2.0 WAR is second on the team, behind only Bryce Haroer’s 6.2. In this series, Espinosa is 2-for-7 with a pair of singles.
Plus, the 28-year-old infielder has stepped up in the power department while most of the regulars have been out. His ten home runs are second on the team behind Harper’s 27 and is the most of any second baseman in the National League.
It is definitely good news that Espinosa is okay, but the question is how long will it be before he returns to the lineup. There has been more good news for the Nats as some of them are inching closer to their return. Down at high-A Potomac last night, Anthony Rendon was 2-for-2 with a double and a single in his first game at third base while Jayson Werth went 1-for-2 with two RBI’s in his second game during his rehab assignment.