Daily Dose: Span Overboard
Denard Span was performing so well since his return from core muscle surgery that he may have overdone it.
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Span was removed from Thursday's game against the Mets with abdominal soreness, a side effect of the surgery he underwent on March 9. Span said he felt the soreness as the game wore on, eventually forcing him to ask out of the 8-2 win.
"I'm a little sore, but I think I will live," Span said. "[The soreness] is around the surgery site. It's a little sore. I just followed my intuition. I ran out there and stared to feel it in my last at-bat. I tried to go out there and play defense. My intuition just told me I need to go in and cash it in and see if I can get some treatment on it and feel better tomorrow."
The likelihood is that Span will get a few days off to rest the abdomen. The club will surely be cautious with their starting center fielder, and Michael Taylor, who filled in admirably for Span and Jayson Werth during the first two weeks of the season, doesn't represent a huge drop-off for the Nats at the plate. Nationals manager Matt Williams has already said he'll at least give Span the day off Friday.
It's a hit for the club and the player, as Span was enjoying much success since coming back. Even with Thursday's 0-for-2 night, the 31-year-old is hitting .302/.340/.535 with two homers, seven RBI, 10 runs scored and a stolen base in 10 games this year. Span has hit safely in seven of his 10 games thus far.
Span made a stunningly quick recovery from the surgery and obviously hasn't looked compromised since returning, so the hope is that Thursday's setback is a minor one. The next few days should bring more clarity to how long, if at all, Span will be sidelined this time around.
Nolasco Back Saturday
It's been a rough few weeks for Twins starters, but things are trending in the right direction starting Saturday.
Ricky Nolasco, who has been on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation since April 11, will be activated to start against the White Sox on Saturday. He'll square off with Hector Noesi in the matchup.
Nolasco made just one start prior to hitting the shelf, allowing six runs over three innings in an 11-0 loss to the Tigers on April 8. Nolasco hasn't thrown more than 67 pitches in a single rehab outing, but Twins manager Paul Molitor said the club is confident Nolasco is ready to return.
"After much discussion, we feel he is ready to perform at this level," Molitor said. "We're looking forward to having him back."
That's an understatement. The Twins have a 4.48 ERA as a team, and besides Mike Pelfrey -- an phrase that offers an indication as to the state of the rotation in itself -- no starter's earned run average is below 4.55. The team is also without Ervin Santana, who was suspended 80 games for testing positive for the steroid stanozolol.
The move bumps Tommy Milone from the rotation, but he might pitch Saturday anyway as Nolasco is expected to be limited to 75-80 pitches. It may take a few starts for him to return to form, but with Phil Hughes' (hip) status up in the air and a steadying force needed, Nolasco's return will be welcomes in the Twin Cities.
Rendon Nearing Return
Anthony Rendon is close to getting back on the field, a return that moves him one step closer to Washington, D.C. as well.
Rendon, after missing four games with tightness in his left side, may return to the Double-A Harrisburg lineup Friday after doing baseball activities, including taking batting practice in the cage, fielding ground balls and running, on Thursday. Rendon was working back from a left knee sprain before the side injury sidelined him.
Though a new ailment isn't a terribly promising development, it actually may represent a best-case scenario for Rendon and the Nationals. The original fear was that he was having more problems with the knee and a setback could mean weeks, not days.
As it is, Rendon could be playing Friday and may be back with the Nats by the end of next week, suggested Nationals manager Matt Williams.
“He needs at-bats,” Williams said. “He’s got to play. If he starts with five innings [Friday], we’ll progress him from there and it’ll be a normal type of rehab. I don’t know. Four or five games maybe, depending on how he feels.”
Rendon has yet to play a game with the Nationals this year after spraining the knee during spring training. When healthy, the 24-year-old has already proven to be one of the premier third basemen in the league.
National League Quick Hits: David Wright (hamstring) is still at least a week away from a return, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Thursday. On the plus side, Wright has been ramping up baseball activities and should be ready for a rehab assignment soon ... The Braves recalled Mike Foltynewicz from Triple-A Gwinnett Thursday ahead of Friday's game. Foltynewicz throws hard and will start Friday's game against the Reds, and if he performs well he could earn himself a longer stay in Atlanta. Fantasy owners take note ... Brandon Phillips was a late scratch from Thursday's lineup doe to an illness. Skip Schumaker filled in for Phillips, who should be back and ready to go Friday or Saturday ... Yunel Escobar (hand) returned to the Nationals' lineup Thursday. Escobar, who got spiked on the hand by Andrelton Simmons in Monday's game, had three hits and three runs scored in his return ... Matt Adams enjoyed a big day Thursday as well. The first baseman went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI to down the Phillies ... Mets placed Rafael Montero on the 15-day disabled list due to right rotator cuff inflammation. It's not believed to be too serious, and Montero will likely be optioned back to Triple-A Las Vegas after the stint, anyway ... Tim Cooney's major league debut didn't go as planned Thursday. The southpaw allowed three runs on seven hits over 2 1/3 innings before being yanked. He didn't factor in the decision, but he'll always be able to say his team won in his first MLB start. So that's...something.
American League Quick Hits: Jed Lowrie's surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb will take place Friday. The oft-injured shortstop tore the ligament sliding into home during Monday's game. He's expected to be out through the All-Star break ... Alcides Escobar (cheek) missed Thursday's game after being hit in the face by a Danny Salazar fastball Wednesday. Christian Colon started at shortstop for the Royals Thursday, finishing 1-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base ... Kris Medlen (elbow) is set to begin throwing to hitters next Monday. Medlen is on the comeback trail after Tommy John surgery and could be a factor for the Royals around midseason if things continue to progress ... Yordano Ventura has dropped the appeal of his seven-game suspension and began serving the suspension Thursday. After having pitched Wednesday, Ventura will only miss one start as a result of the suspension ... The Twins knocked around White Sox ace Chris Sale Thursday, putting up nine runs -- eight earned -- on nine hits over three innings. Sale had allowed just five runs over his first 19 innings coming into the game ... Jose Altuve capped a good night and a good first month with a walk-off RBI single against the Mariners Thursday. Altuve is hitting .367/.400/.500 with 16 RBI, 13 runs scored, two homers and nine steals this season, and the Astros finished April 14-7. Related: break up the Astros.
