Nationals Give Positive Injury Update on Jacob Young After His Collision With Wall
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The Washington Nationals were victorious in Game 2 of their three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
There were multiple standouts during the contest, led by CJ Abrams and Dylan Crews both hitting home runs, and the bullpen coming in and taking care of business after starting pitcher Cade Cavalli exited earlier than expected following his recovery from food poisoning he dealt with the day prior.
However, one play might have saved the game for the Nationals. With Washington up, 3-2, in the bottom of the eighth inning, and with a runner on first base, center fielder Jacob Young put his body on the line to make an incredible catch that resulted in him slamming into the wall and leaving the contest early. If Young didn't make that play, the Rays might have tied things up in that moment.
The Nationals gave an update on Young following the game, and the early report is that things are positive on the injury front.
Blake Butera Says Jacob Young Is OK
Per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, manager Blake Butera said Young is fine after he slammed into the wall and exited with the training staff. The skipper added that the center fielder is considered day-to-day, which means an injured list stint isn't likely at this time.
That is huge for Washington. Not only has Young been much better at the plate this season compared to in years past with eight home runs that are already a career-high. But he's also been elite on defense once again, with his nine outs above average being one of the highest totals across all of Major League Baseball, regardless of position.
Hopefully, the 26-year-old doesn't miss much time, if any at all. He's been a key contributor for the Nationals so far this season, so not having his defense in the mix would hurt.
How Nationals' Outfield Could Look If Jacob Young Misses Time
But if Young does have to miss a few games, Washington has a good replacement option since the surging Crews would slide over to center field with Daylen Lile and James Wood playing the corners. While Crews isn't as elite of a defender as Young, the former second overall pick is still a plus defender in center with one out above average to his name across 61 2/3 innings played at that position so far this year.
Still, things are going pretty well for the Nationals right now when it comes to how Butera is deploying his roster. So, ideally, Young is able to get back in the lineup sooner rather than later.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai