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Nationals Get Concerning Nelson Cruz Injury Update

By Devon Platana

The Washington Nationals have received a concerning Nelson Cruz injury update.
The Washington Nationals have received a concerning Nelson Cruz injury update. / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
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Washington Nationals designated hitter Nelson Cruz was absent during his team's 7-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Thursday night. Although the reason behind his scratch was undisclosed at the time, further details reveal a concerning situation in Washington.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez spoke after the game, saying that Nelson is dealing with back tightness. The veteran slugger is scheduled to have an MRI on Friday, which will give fans a better idea of a potential recovery timetable.

Nelson Cruz Injury Update

Cruz's injury news is also unfortunate when you consider that it may temporarily lower his trade stock. He's the type of veteran that many contenders would like to add to their roster ahead of the trade deadline, but that's now on pause until more about his situation is known.

The 41-year-old has had a decent start to the 2022 MLB season, ranking third on the Nationals with five home runs and second with 29 RBIs. His .247 batting average isn't exactly mind-blowing, but it's negligible to potential suitors when you consider the experience he brings to the table.

Cruz has taken 187 at-bats over 50 career postseason games, recording 18 HRs and 38 RBIs while slashing .278/.348/.631. He was also the American League Championship Series MVP in 2011 and is the type of player a playoff-bound team loves to have in the locker room.

The hope for all parties is that Cruz's back injury won't be anything too serious. If it isn't, it'll be interesting to see just how much longer he remains a National.

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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