WASHINGTON -- The Nationals suffered another blow to their outfield depth now that outfielder Rafael Bautista will require season-ending surgery on his left knee after a collision in the outfield at Triple-A Syracuse. The surgery is scheduled for Wednesday.
Manager Dave Martinez did not reveal the extent of the injury, but the Washington Post reported Bautista tore his ACL, LCL and meniscus.
Bautista, 25, appeared in nine games for the Nats this season, mostly as a defensive replacement, while going 0-for-6 at the plate. Rated the Nats' No. 19 prospect by MLB Pipeline, he has enjoyed brief stints in the Majors the past two seasons, playing in 26 games and receiving 33 at-bats.
He becomes the latest in a long list of injuries to the Nationals -- particularly in the outfield, a point of depth for Washington at the start of the season that is beginning to thin out. Adam Eaton is still recovering from left ankle surgery, Brian Goodwin just started to swing a bat again after a left wrist injury and top prospect Victor Robles suffered a scary left elbow injury in April.
"It kind of stinks," Martinez said. "It's getting to the point now where enough's enough. But we hope [Bautista] has a speedy recovery.
Worth noting
• Eaton was walking around the Nationals' clubhouse without a brace on his left leg, a little more than a week after he needed arthroscopic surgery to remove cartilage from his left ankle. He was in good spirits and said his knee and ankle felt good.
He was also in good spirits because he and his wife also celebrated the birth of their second child, Maverick, on Wednesday night.
• Infielder Adrian Sanchez will be the Nationals' 26th man for the second game on Saturday's doubleheader against the Dodgers.