Nationals Suffer Dismal Defensive Display and Injury in Loss to Yankees
The Washington Nationals endured a rough night at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday as their defensive woes resurfaced and outfielder Stone Garrett suffered a serious leg injury. The Nationals’ 9-1 loss to the Yankees also ended their nine-game winning streak.
The game took a turn for the worse during the second inning when the Nationals committed several defensive mistakes. MacKenzie Gore struggled on the mound, and Aaron Judge took advantage by hitting three home runs. In addition, Stone Garrett suffered a gruesome leg injury while diving for a ball in the outfield.
Garrett tracked a drive to right field by DJ LeMahieu but ended up catching his left cleat in the padding on the wall. He fell to the ground in pain and had to be carted off the field with his left leg placed in an aircast. The severity of his injury is yet to be determined.
Manager Dave Martinez expressed concern for Garrett and hoped for a positive outcome. The injury left a somber atmosphere in the Nationals’ clubhouse, with players like Gore and Carter Kieboom visibly upset during interviews.
Garrett, who signed with the Nationals this offseason, had been performing well at the plate lately. He had a batting average of .269 with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 234 at-bats.
The Nationals’ defensive struggles in the second inning only compounded their problems. A throwing error by CJ Abrams and a miscommunication between Lane Thomas and Garrett allowed the Yankees to score multiple runs. Gore’s disappointing performance on the mound added to the Nationals’ frustration.
Yankees starter Luis Severino, who entered the game with a high ERA, controlled the Nationals’ lineup, giving up only one hit over 6⅔ innings. The Nationals managed to score only one run on a fourth-inning single by Keibert Ruiz.
The loss was a disappointing end to the Nationals’ winning streak and highlighted the importance of solid defense in the game. Martinez regularly emphasizes the need to minimize errors, but the Nationals’ defensive lapses cost them dearly against the Yankees.
In other news, Nationals pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. will be shut down indefinitely due to a stress fracture in his right scapula. Edwards had been placed on the injured list in June with right shoulder inflammation but had hoped to make a successful return. The injury will now sideline him for an undetermined amount of time.
Meanwhile, pitcher Tanner Rainey continued his rehab assignment with a solid outing for Class AA Harrisburg, throwing 19 pitches. Another pitcher, Thaddeus Ward, will make a rehab start for high Class A Wilmington on Thursday as he recovers from right shoulder inflammation. The Nationals hope Ward can pitch four innings in his rehab outing.