The Marlins’ ninth-inning surge Sunday turned a 2-0 deficit into a 6-2 win over the Nationals, but the comeback may have come with a cost. Xavier Edwards exited in the fifth inning after what manager Clayton McCullough described as, “ right now we’re thinking it’s a left thumb sprain, ” according to MLB.com’s Ian Nicholas Quillen and other reporters.
Edwards is scheduled to get tested tomorrow, which should provide a clearer picture of how serious the injury is. For now, he told Quillen and company that “ I feel okay.”
There’s still a chance the sprain is minor enough that he avoids the injured list, but thumb injuries can be tricky for hitters. A lighter case could mean a brief 10-day IL stay, while a Grade 2 sprain would likely end his regular season.
The play itself looked rough. On a steal attempt of second base, Washington’s Jorbit Vivas slid headfirst into Edwards’ left arm.
Edwards reacted immediately, taking off his glove in pain and walking toward the dugout while the play continued. The throw sailed into center field, and Vivas wound up at third.
Before the injury, Edwards had put together a strong first half of the season, hitting .311/.396/.468 with six homers in his first 269 plate appearances. Since then, the production has cooled hard: he’s hit just .258/.329/.295 with no home runs over his last 303 trips to the plate. Even so, his overall line still sits at .282/.361/.376, good for a 105 wRC+, and his speed remains a real weapon with 20 steals in 25 attempts.
The win moved Miami back above .500 at 69-68, and the club sits 3.5 games behind the Diamondbacks for the final NL card berth. If Edwards has to miss time, the Marlins will have to sort out second base quickly. Leo Jimenez looks like the most likely fill-in, provided Miami keeps Javier Sanoja in his current role as the top option at third base.
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