The Nationals announced on Wednesday that they’ve placed infielder Stephen Drew on the 10-day disabled list due to a right hamstring strain and selected the contract of infielder Grant Green from Triple-A Syracuse to take his spot on the Major League roster. The Nationals’ 40-man roster was only at 39 players before today’s transaction, so there’s no need for the team to make a corresponding 40-man move to accommodate Green.
The loss of Drew to the disabled list comes shortly after the Nationals placed starting shortstop Trea Turner on the 10-day DL with a hamstring strain of his own. With both Turner and Drew on the shelf, the Nats will turn to the inexperienced Wilmer Difo as their primary shortstop, while Green serves as a versatile utility infield piece.
The 29-year-old Green was once a well-regarded prospect, but the former first-round pick has never solidified himself as a big league regular or bench piece. In 350 plate appearances with the A’s, Angels and Giants, Green is a .251/.286/.339 hitter, though his lifetime .312/.350/.468 batting line in Triple-A is far more respectable. Green began his career playing mostly shortstop and second base, but he’s begun to bounce around the diamond more in recent seasons and now comes with experience at all four infield positions and in the corner outfield.
3rd hamstring injury for Nats this season, 2 at shortstop. Is their attempt at a NL East crown hamstrung by all these injuries? #rimshot
3rd? What was the first?
1 for the pun
I’m playing drums right now
Remember that Green was drafted by Oakland well ahead of Trout in 2009, further highlighting Beane’s reputation as a genius.
And 20 other people did too. The draft is a crapshoot. Unless you’re Theo Epstein. Then it’s just a notch above a crapshoot.