Washington Nationals outfielder Kyle Schwarber has been one of the most potent power hitters in baseball this season, but he may now be facing an extended absence because of a hamstring injury.
Schwarber appeared to hurt his right leg while round first base following a single against the Dodgers on Friday night (LAD 10, WAS 5). Shortly thereafter he was removed from the game and replaced by Gerardo Parra. After the game, Washington manager Davey Martinez told reporters that Schwarber had indeed suffered a right hamstring injury and would undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine the severity. The safe assumption is that Schwarber will require a stay on the injured list, and given the nature of hamstring injuries it's possible his absence will be measured in weeks, not days.
The loss of Schwarber is a major blow to the Nationals, who stand at 40-40 in the winnable NL East after Friday's loss. This season, Schwarber, whom the Nationals signed to a one-year, $10 million contract this past winter, is batting .253/.340/.570 with 25 home runs in 71 games. Schwarber set a franchise record with 16 home runs in the month of June, and all 16 of those home runs came in a 20-game span. He was named NL Player of the Month for June. To say the least, it will be very difficult for the Nationals to replace that kind of production if indeed they've lost Schwarber for a while.
