Nationals righty Drew Storen broke the thumb on his throwing hand on Wednesday and is likely out for the rest of the season, manager Matt Williams says, via Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post Twitter links). The break occurred when Storen slammed a locker door after giving up a two-run homer to Yoenis Cespedes. According to Williams, Storen tried to throw yesterday, then informed the team his thumb was hurting and headed to Washington to see a doctor.
Storen was terrific as the Nationals’ closer in the first half of the season and still has a respectable overall 3.44 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. But he has struggled throughout the second half, during which he lost the closer role after the arrival of Jonathan Papelbon. Storen has a 5.82 second-half ERA that has roughly corresponded with (if not entirely caused, obviously) his team’s second-half tailspin. He has a solid 29 strikeouts and eight walks in 21 2/3 innings in that time frame, and without any meaningful loss of velocity, but he’s struggled in high-leverage situations.
You can somehow blame Matt Williams for this.
Controversy Over. Glass Have Full.
This adds slightly to the Cespedes for MVP train.
He’s probably doing himself a favor. This is the “break” he needs from the game.
Exclamation point on a memorable collapse.
I only wish it happened to Papelbon.
Early offseason. His teammates will be joining him shortly.