Nationals Lose James Wood to Oblique Strain Amid Brutal Losing Streak
MLB Trade Rumors reported the IL placement on Tuesday.
The are currently experiencing the baseball equivalent of stepping on a rake, and the handle just hit them squarely in the jaw. Outfielder is officially heading to the injured list with an oblique strain.
MLB Trade Rumors relayed the news on Tuesday, confirming will be without their towering young slugger for the foreseeable future. Oblique strains are the absolute worst kind of baseball injury. They sound like a minor inconvenience but usually end up lingering longer than a bad houseguest.
This roster move drops at the exact moment the Nationals' season is in a complete freefall. has lost six straight games, including a brutal four-game sweep at the hands of the where they were outscored 23-11.
Losing a cornerstone piece like Wood right now is brutal for team morale. When you are already struggling to generate offense and dropping series to the Toronto Blue Jays and , subtracting one of your most physically gifted hitters from the lineup is a recipe for a very long August.
For anyone looking at the ' runline, this is a massive red flag. Wood changes the geometry of a lineup. Without his bat providing protection, opposing pitchers can just coast through the middle of the order without breaking a sweat.
has to figure out how to stop the bleeding tonight in their second game against the Phillies. As for Wood, oblique injuries are notoriously stubborn. Do not expect him back until he can swing a bat without feeling like his ribcage is tearing in half.