MASNsports.com is your online home for the latest Orioles and Nationals news, features, and commentary. And now, you can connect with MASN on every digital level. From web and social media to our new mobile alert service, MASN has got all the bases covered.
Get the latest breaking news direct to your phone with our mobile texting service.
NEW YORK - Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche strained his left groin Sunday, and had to come out of the team's win over the Mets after sliding into second base in the 11th inning. But LaRoche said he's had similar injuries before, and is confident it won't cause him to miss any time.
LaRoche, who already missed Saturday's game because the labral tear in his left shoulder flared up, said he first felt the injury during a check swing on his second at-bat. He got up slowly after his slide on Jordan Zimmermann's 11th-inning sacrifice bunt, and came out of the game with trainer Mike McGowan.
Manager Jim Riggleman had told LaRoche he was thinking about taking him out before the at-bat, and when LaRoche became the go-ahead run, the Nationals needed someone who could go full-speed without risking an injury, so Wilson Ramos pinch-ran for him. "I told him it was a little tight, and if there was a base hit, I'd hate to make it worse when I didn't have to," LaRoche said.
He quickly dismissed the idea of missing Tuesday's game against the Phillies, saying tomorrow's off-day "came at a perfect time.' But LaRoche knows he's looking at needing to play through a couple injuries early in the year.
"It's really frustrating," LaRoche said. "Looking back, the last couple years, I've had some little things like this early. Luckily, they've kind of ironed themselves out and I've been OK the rest of the way. So hopefully that's the case."
