NEW YORK — First baseman Nick Johnson will miss four to six weeks with a tear in his right wrist, a serious blow to the Washington Nationals, who will ask Dmitri Young to fill the gap vacated by their cleanup hitter.
An MRI taken on Johnson’s wrist yesterday in the District revealed a torn tendon sheath, the result of a bad swing during Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets.
Thus, the Nationals will be without one of their most productive offensive players — Johnson’s .415 on-base percentage leads the club and his five homers and 20 RBI rank second to Ryan Zimmerman — for an extended period.
“It is very significant,” manager Manny Acta said. “He’s a big part of our club, not only as a player but as a clubhouse guy.”
Johnson, 29, has never played through an entire major league season without spending time on the DL. He missed all of 2007 with a broken right leg.
“I feel bad for him because we always want to see him play a full season,” Acta said. “He worked extremely hard to come back to spring training and be in the shape that he’s in. And now this happens.”
Young, whom the team will activate off the DL today for the start of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, will replace Johnson on the 25-man roster. Out since April 2 with a sprained lower back, Young went 3-for-8 with a double and three walks in an abbreviated rehab stint at Class AA Harrisburg.
Though Young likely will serve as designated hitter for this weekend’s interleague games, with Aaron Boone playing first base, Acta said the reigning National League comeback player of the year will get most of the playing time while Johnson is out.
“Whatever we accomplished here last year was with Dmitri out there,” Acta said. “So we could continue doing the same thing. Obviously, we’re probably not going to run him down. He’s coming back from a back injury. But he’s going to handle that most of the time.”
Outfield rotation
The Nationals tried several different looks in the outfield during this week’s series against the Mets, and that likely will continue as the club seeks to evaluate Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes and Wily Mo Pena.
Milledge started three of the four games in center field, including yesterday, but Dukes got a shot there Wednesday and also started Tuesday in left field. Pena played in left field Wednesday, with Rob Mackowiak getting two starts there.
“What we’re trying to do is get enough at-bats for Dukes to find out what he can do for us,” Acta said. “That’s all I’m trying to do, get him at-bats. I’m trying to put people in situations where they can have success because right now we’re searching for some offense.”
Dukes has one hit in 18 at-bats this season. Pena is hitting .211 with no homers and five RBI in 26 games. Milledge is batting .238 with one homer and 13 RBI in 40 games.
Three prospects signed
The Nationals announced they have signed three teenage infielders from the Dominican Republic: Elvin Cuello, 16, Joseph Cabreja, 18, and Alex Romero, 18.
Scouting director Dana Brown said all three “could develop into impact players,” particularly Cuello, a switch-hitting middle infielder.
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