MLB Player News

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa went 1 for 4 with one run and three strikeouts in his return to the lineup Wednesday. He missed a total of five games with a wrist injury, choosing to play through it rather than take a stint on the disabled list.

Espinosa has hit just .166 in 145 at-bats this season.

If Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa would just take three weeks off to rest, his fractured right wrist would fully heal and he would be back to playing at 100 percent. For Espinosa, there was no question what decision needed to be made.

"I don’t have three weeks to sit," Espinosa told The Washington Post Wednesday, as he returned to the lineup after just five days off. Espinosa knows he is going to have to play through some discomfort, but isn't willing to sacrifice the time it would take at this point.

"I thought if it was another week that would have been real productive, I probably would have taken one week," Espinosa said. "But it's not going to be one week. It’s going to be a good amount of time to get it recovered. I feel better. I don’t have the amount of pain I had."

Espinosa is playing with a torn left rotator cuff as well, and is hitting .163 with a .487 OPS so far. But he insists neither injury is an excuse for his poor hitting. 

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa is back in the lineup and on the field Wednesday against the Orioles, after missing five games due to bone chips in his right wrist.

Espinosa is batting ninth and playing second base in the game. 

The swelling in Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa's wrist has subsided enough he might be available to pinch-hit Tuesday against the Orioles. Espinosa will take full batting practice and field grounders before the game and could make his return to the starting lineup as early as Wednesday. 

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa missed his fifth game in a row Tuesday against the Orioles, as he continues to deal with bone chips in his right wrist.

The team continues to aim for Wednesday or Thursday as a possible return date for Espinosa. 

The Nationals are waiting to see how shortstop Danny Espinosa responds to batting practice Monday, but the team has already ruled out a surgical repair for the bone chips in his right wrist.

Espinosa is going to either have to play through pain or hit the disabled list for extended rest, depending on how the injury responds over the next few days. The team plans on having him increase his workload in the coming days to test it out.

"We've already tried a couple times to rest it and get him back," team doctor Wiemi Douoguih told reporters. "If it flares up again, we're going to have to have a more extended period of rest. This is not like a surgical issue. This is something that needs rest."

Nationals shortstop Danny Espinosa still does not have a concrete timeline after doing some workouts Monday, but he has also managed to avoid any setbacks in his fractured wrist.

Espinosa did some hitting Monday, and team doctor Wiemi Douoguih told reporters that he looked and felt good hitting. The team will continue to ramp up his activity level over the next few days, and he hops to return to the starting lineup sometime this week. 

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa did not start Monday against the Orioles, but he's still shooting to return either Tuesday or Wednesday, as reported previously by the Washington Post. 

Espinosa has been out since May 22 with a wrist injury and should undergo a workout Monday to determine when he'll be able to return. 

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa is hoping to return to the starting lineup Tuesday or Wednesday, the Washington Post reports.

Espinosa has been out with a wrist injury since May 22. He will undergo a workout Monday to determine if he is ready to return. The wrist injury could be partially behind his poor performance this season, as Espinosa is hitting .163/.196/.291.

Despite dealing with bone chips in his right wrist since April, Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa refused to blame his poor hitting on the injury. 

"I won't ever use this as an excuse," he told reporters after the injury was announced. "I haven't hit lately."

Espinosa is batting .150 in May and has three hits in his last 10 games. He will be shut down for a few days to rest before a determination on his long-term availability is made. Surgery is not currently being considered.