Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa could miss the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury, the Washington Post reported Monday.
The club is reviewing the results of an MRI, and its course of action will determine Espinosa's fate. In the best-case scenario, Espinosa could receive a cortisone shot and play, albeit at less than 100 percent effectiveness. However, it's possible the injury is serious enough to where cortisone wouldn't be a solution and Espinosa could be held out of action until next season.
Espinosa has been an under-the-radar cog in the Nationals' offense. Despite leading the NL in strikeouts with 174, Espinosa has 16 home runs and 19 stolen bases. His .722 OPS checks in just above the NL second baseman average of .718.
Steve Lombardozzi would be the likely replacement in Espinosa's absence. Lombardozzi owns a .279/.323/.355 line in 116 games (396 plate appearances) this season.
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