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A doctor’s review of the MRI taken on Dylan Crews confirmed the club’s initial diagnosis of a left oblique strain, but manager Davey Martinez could not offer anything resembling a timetable for the Nationals rookie to return.
Crews, who already had been dealing with a sore lower back and left side for about a week, experienced additional pain on a check-swing attempt in the fifth inning Tuesday night against the Braves. He was placed on the 10-day injured list the following afternoon, with top outfield prospect Robert Hassell III called up from Triple-A Rochester to take his roster spot.
The timetable for oblique strains varies from player to player and based on the severity of each injury. Nationals first baseman/designated hitter Andrés Chaparro suffered a left oblique strain during batting practice March 14 prior to a spring training game and tonight is finally beginning a rehab assignment with Rochester after going 4-for-15 with a double and a homer in five rehab games for the Nats’ rookie-level Florida Complex League team.
Asked how Crews’ injury compares to Chaparro’s ailment, Martinez redirected his answer to compliment Crews’ physical and mental makeup.
“I’ll be honest with you: When I played, I didn’t even know what an oblique was,” the manager said. “Every guy is different. He’s a very strong kid, I know that. He’s going to work diligently to get back as soon as possible. But we want to make sure that when he does come back, this doesn’t become a problem for him. Hopefully sooner than later, but we’re going to give him as much time as he needs to get him ready.”
Asked again about the uncertain timelines for oblique strains, Martinez reiterated the difficulty in predicting such things at this stage of the process.
“People say it could be two weeks, three weeks. Sometimes it takes four months,” he said. “Chaparro had one, and it kept lingering, it didn’t go away. So only time will tell. I know he’s in good hands with our medical staff, that’s for sure. They’re going to get him ready, they’re going to get him strengthened. And hopefully when he comes back, it doesn’t happen again.”
* Jacob Young is out of the Nationals’ lineup for the fifth straight day (the third straight game) after jamming his left shoulder into the center field wall trying to make a leaping catch Saturday in Baltimore.
Young appears to be ready to return except for one lingering issue: His inability to finish the follow-through on his swing without experiencing left shoulder soreness. Martinez did say the 25-year-old is available to pinch-run or play the outfield, with the hope he’s ready to return to the lineup Friday against the Giants.
* Amed Rosario hasn’t played in a full week now due to a bad laceration near his left knee that required stitches, but the veteran utilityman does appear to be available if needed.
Martinez said Rosario has been taking fly balls in the outfield the last two days, recognizing the team’s shorthanded outfield corps at the moment, and has felt fine doing it. If the Nats were facing a left-handed opposing starter, he would probably be in the lineup at third base over Jose Tena.
* The Nationals announced their June 14 home game against the Marlins has been moved up to 1:05 p.m. from its original 4:05 p.m. start time “due to planned activity in Washington, D.C.”
A military parade is scheduled to begin near the Pentagon at 6 p.m. that evening, with the route crossing over the Arlington Memorial Bridge and then heading east on Constitution Ave. The team hopes the earlier start will allow enough time for the game to be completed and fans to head home before the event.
