Thomas has Grade 2 MCL sprain, Lipscomb recalled from Triple-A

Lane Thomas was placed on the 10-day injured list today with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, but the Nationals outfielder was encouraged by that diagnosis, which is not as severe as it could have been and doesn’t require surgery.

“I definitely think it could’ve been a lot worse,” Thomas said this afternoon, standing at his locker with his knee wrapped, not needing to use crutches to walk. “It wasn’t anything too crazy. They haven’t really given me a time frame yet, but hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Thomas hurt himself while sliding into second base in the bottom of the fifth Tuesday night against the Dodgers, his trailing leg getting twisted in awkward fashion as he tried to pop up following a successful steal attempt. He initially had trouble staying up on his feet, crumpling to the ground as Los Angeles second baseman Mookie Betts spotted him.

After a consultation with manager Davey Martinez and director of athletic training Paul Lessard, Thomas stayed in the game. But two innings later, Eddie Rosario replaced him in right field and he returned to the clubhouse as team officials scheduled an MRI for this morning.

“The initial pain was pretty intense, but it went away kind of quick,” Thomas said. “I feel like I’ve had a pretty high pain tolerance in the past, so I wasn’t sure. I had broken a wrist (in 2019) and didn’t realize it. Sometimes those things, with your adrenaline, you don’t really know what’s going on until a few hours after when you settle down.”

Because he was able to walk on his own, Thomas wasn’t terribly worried the injury was serious. And when he learned the diagnosis of an MCL sprain, he was relieved. Rest and treatment should be all he needs. Surgery is not required.

Martinez called it a “best-case scenario, really.”

This is the first time Thomas has landed on the IL since the Nationals acquired him in July 2021. The 28-year-old played 146 games in 2022, 156 games last season and played in all 22 games to begin this season.

The Nationals had a number of options for replacing Thomas in right field, whether promoting top prospect James Wood, shifting Rosario to right and calling up backup outfielder Alex Call from Triple-A Rochester or using multiple players there. In the end, they decided to move Joey Gallo from first base to right field, where the slugger won two Gold Glove Awards in 2020 and 2021 with the Rangers.

“I talked to him last night about it, and he had no hesitation about it whatsoever,” Martinez said. “He said: ‘Whatever it takes to help the team.’”

That created an opening at first base, which it appears the Nationals will fill in a bit of a surprising manner. Trey Lipscomb, the versatile infielder who spent the season’s first two weeks starting at third base for them, was recalled from Triple-A and is starting tonight at first base.

Lipscomb, who played 15 games at first base last season at Double-A Harrisburg and then another five in the Arizona Fall League, may ultimately move around to multiple positions. But the 23-year-old will be part of the everyday lineup, regardless of his spot in the field.

“For me, it’s about him gaining experience here,” Martinez said. “He’s going to do a lot of different things. And he has zero hesitation about anything. The kid just loves playing. He’ll play wherever you tell him to play. It’s nice to have him.

“Hopefully, when things settle down a little, we can get him to actually focus on one position. But the fact he can play multiple positions, and do them well, it definitely helps. Right now, it’s based on a need that we have.”

Though the Nationals could have called up Wood to make his major league debut and take over in right field, they did not want to make that move now out of necessity, preferring to wait until they’re sure he’s ready for the promotion. The 21-year-old has a .303/.418/.474 slash line with Rochester but is 6 for his last 35 with one extra-base hit and 13 strikeouts.

“He’s doing well, don’t get me wrong,” Martinez said. “But we want him to get at-bats at Triple-A and continue doing what he’s doing. We’re going to see James Wood, no doubt about it. But we just want him to continue to feel really good about himself and get him going.”

* Keibert Ruiz could be ready to rejoin the Nationals after playing two rehab games with Harrisburg. The 25-year-old catcher went 1-for-9 with a stolen base the last two days in a road series at Erie, where the conditions were cold and rainy Tuesday night.

Ruiz has been out the last two weeks with a nasty case of influenza that caused him to lose 18 to 20 pounds. It remains to be seen whether the Nats activate him in time for Thursday’s series finale against the Dodgers or wait until the start of a road trip Friday in Miami.

“If he can play in that kind of weather, I’m sure he’s ready. Because it was a monsoon,” Martinez said. “I think he can handle coming back here.”

* Stone Garrett had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A. The outfielder, in the final stages of recovery from the broken leg he suffered last August, went 7-for-26 with a double and seven walks in eight games at Double-A.