Daily Dose: Rendon Sidelined
It's fair to say this hasn't been Anthony Rendon's year.
Follow @Rotoworld_BB and @Nate_Grimm on Twitter.
Entering the season, expectations for the 25-year-old were as high as almost any in baseball. Coming off a 2014 season in which he burst onto the scene to hit .287/.351/.473 with 21 homers, 17 steals, 83 RBI and a league-best 111 runs scored, hopes were high that Rendon could build on that success to become a bonafide stud.
Instead, Rendon has had trouble just staying on the field. After missing the first two months of the season with a sprained MCL in his left knee and, later, a strained oblique, Rendon debuted on June 4. In 18 June games, Rendon hit .290/.375/.362 but didn't homer or steal a base as he worked his way back into playing shape.
But his progress will halt once again after the third baseman was placed back on the 15-day disabled list Friday, retroactive to June 25, with a left quad strain. Rendon said he hurt the quad during Max Scherzer's no-hitter last Saturday.
An MRI on the quad showed “some pretty good changes in there,” according to Nationals manager Matt Williams, so the club decided not to risk it with their budding star.
“It’s not something you want to mess with,” Williams said. “If it gets to the point that it becomes worse than it is, then you lose him for an extended period. The problem is if he’s gonna play, he’s gonna play — regardless of whether he’s in the starting lineup or on the bench — he hits a baseball he’s gotta go out of the box.”
The silver lining is that the move seems largely precautionary. Rendon will travel with the team, a sign that he's not to the point where he can't do much. He said he'll continue to hit while on the disabled list.
The DL stint buys him a few weeks, as he'll likely also get the All-Star break to recuperate before being activated in mid-July. With roughly 2 1/2 months left to go in the season at that point, there's still plenty of time for Rendon to deliver on the high expectations many had for him when the season began.
Tough Luck For Buxton
Speaking of guys who can't catch a break, Byron Buxton is back on the sidelines.
The 21-year-old Buxton was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Twins on Friday with a sprained left thumb. Buxton injured the thumb sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt in Tuesday's game.
Buxton attempted to play through the pain, striking out in all four at-bats against Chris Sale during Wednesday's contest, before giving in and acknowledging the injury. Twins manager Paul Molitor said Buxton will be out "at least a month" and possibly up to six weeks as a result of the injury.
"The left hand is a huge part of the grip on your bat," Molitor said before Friday's game against the Brewers. "It's disappointing for him. We just told him, 'You've got to weather the storm with, like anything else, and hopefully, you come out better on the other end.'"
The injury is disappointing on a number of fronts. For Buxton himself, it's the latest in a string of injuries that have set back his development. The outfielder had to deal with a fractured left middle finger, a concussion and a left wrist sprain in 2014 alone.
For baseball fans, the sprained thumb also shelves one of the game's most exciting and anticipated young players. Despite batting just .189/.231/.270 through his first 11 games, Buxton possesses an enticing combination of speed and pop that made him the No. 2 overall selection in the 2012 Draft.
Buxton's timetable puts him back around the July 31 trade deadline, a point at which most teams have to decide whether they're buyers or sellers. Which side of the coin the Twins find themselves on may determine Buxton's playing time for the rest of the season.
X-Rays For Stanton
The Marlins are hoping their bright young star outfielder doesn't become the latest to hit the disabled list.
Giancarlo Stanton will undergo X-rays on his left hand Saturday to determine the extent of the injury he sustained to the hand during Friday's loss to the Dodgers. Stanton hurt the hand during an at-bat in the sixth inning, and he was in visible pain while facing Pedro Baez in the ninth.
Stanton said his bat "dug into my hand a little bit," causing the discomfort. Still, both he and Marlins manager Dan Jennings expressed uncertainty after the game as to what the exact issue is.
"My level of concern will be when I know exactly what's up," Stanton said.
That's not exactly a reassuring outlook from Stanton, who has been in the MVP discussion with his play to this point. Despite the team around him floundering, Stanton has hit .265/.346/.606 with an MLB-best 27 homers and 67 RBI.
More will certainly be known after Saturday's tests, but the Marlins, with their season already in the gutter, would do well to give Stanton the day off to rest the hand. Any more time off after that will depend on what, if anything, the X-rays show.
National League Quick Hits: Max Scherzer's run at history came up a few innings short, as his perfect game was broken up in the sixth inning Friday. Scherzer still got the win over the Phillies, striking out seven while allowing two runs over eight innings. With last week's no-hitter and Friday's performance, Scherzer is now 9-5 with a 1.79 ERA and 0.79 WHIP on the year ... right leg cramps kept Bryce Harper out of the Nats' lineup again Friday. Harper hasn't played since Wednesday with cramping in the leg ... Matt Holliday (quad) has been throwing and hitting off a tee this week. He still hasn't resumed running, though, and doesn't seem like a good bet to return before the All-Star break ... Carlos Gonzalez (hand) returned to the lineup with authority Friday. The outfielder went 5-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored in the Rockies' win ... CarGo's teammate Nolan Arenado played a big part in that victory. Arenado homered twice and collected four RBI in the game ... An open callus on his left hand kept Yasiel Puig out of the lineup again Friday ... Denard Span was a late scratch due to back spasms. It's been an ongoing issue for Span in recent days, but he's day-to-day for now ... Yunel Escobar left Friday's game after being hit by a pitch on the hand/wrist during his first at-bat. The extent of the injury is still unknown ... Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg fell on the sword for his team's performance to date, resigning as manager of the club Friday. Bench coach Pete Mackanin will serve as the interim manager for the 26-48 team.
American League Quick Hits: Adam Jones (shoulder) was out Friday for the eighth time in the Orioles' last 10 games. A decision about a disabled list stint will likely come Saturday ... Hanley Ramirez (wrist) sat out again Friday. Ramirez hasn't played since Wednesday after being hit by a line drive on his left wrist ... Devon Travis (shoulder) was activated from the disabled list and immediately inserted into the Blue Jays' lineup on Friday. Travis, playing his first game since May 16, finished 1-for-4 with a run scored while batting at the bottom of the Jays order ... Travis' teammate Edwin Encarnacion enjoyed a bit more success in the victory, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI ... Justin Verlander (back) is aiming to return to the mound on Tuesday ... Drew Smyly (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, his first mound action since being diagnosed with a partial labrum tear in early May ... Smyly's teammate John Jaso (wrist) will likely be returning sooner. Jaso will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Charlotte on Saturday in hopes of being ready for the second half of the season, if not sooner ... Don't look now, but Fernando Rodney is back to saving games for the Mariners. The embattled right-hander struck out two while allowing a hit in a scoreless ninth Friday, notching his first save since May 29. Carson Smith, who had been saving games in Rodney's stead, got two outs in the eighth inning ahead of Rodney's appearance.
