Drew Storen apologized to Matt Williams for breaking thumb

Nationals right-hander Drew Storen met with the media in front of his locker for the first time at Nationals Park since it was announced he is out for the season due to a broken right thumb.

Storen injured the thumb by slamming the door shut to his locker following a pair of rough performances last homestand against the New York Mets.

Storen described his conversation with manager Matt Williams after it was diagnosed as a broken thumb and that he would be out for the season.

"I kind of just told him, I said, 'Look, I apologize, I feel bad,' " Storen said of his discussion with Williams. "I'm a competitor. I was frustrated. My intention wasn't to do something to hurt myself and put my health in jeopardy, and he understood."

Williams on what went wrong with Storen during those two games against the Mets:

"If Drew got in trouble or had issues, it was the breaking ball wasn't sharp down and getting behind was also part of it. If he makes pitches he wants to make where he wants to make them, he's perfectly fine. Hitters are taught to hit mistakes. If you make them, it's dangerous."

Storen didn't think he had hurt his right thumb that bad when he banged it against the locker door.

"At the time, I didn't really know," Storen said. "I knew I had caught the edge of the metal there on the locker. I was like 'it might just be a bruise' you know, whatever it is. When I tried to throw through Friday, it didn't feel right. So that's when I knew I needed to get it checked out."

He said the timetable for recovery will span about four weeks.

"That's kind of the norm," Storen said. "So we'll get pictures taken just to kind of check up on it and make sure it's healing. So for now, that's what we're looking at."

The Stanford right-hander reflected on the team's struggles now that he is unable to pitch again this regular season. And he is not thinking about which team he will pitch for next season.

"I think all around for everybody, it's been a frustrating year," Storen said. "I think we've had ups and downs. We've had some parts of the team click and certain times, other parts not. For me, it's been a frustrating last month or so.

"That's where I'm at. But for me, I'm not really looking forward towards anything else. I'm here to support the guys. We've been playing well. So for me, I'm just here to support them and do whatever I can."

Storen also said he has learned how to cope with losses and setbacks in his season and how to rebound and learn from those situations.

"You just got to keep plugging away," Storen said. "You really learn you can't change things that happen. You got to really look forward and make the most of whatever opportunity you have in front of you. It's part of the game. It's going to test you. You are going to have your ups and your downs. It can beat you up a little bit, but as long as you make the most of it, things end up working out in the end.

"I'm confident what I can bring to the table. I've been here awhile. I don't think you really put the last month and the struggles ... that's not me. I've had some tough times, but at the same time I've come through and dealt with frustrating times and adversity and gotten better from it. I have no doubt looking forward that it's going to be the same."

Williams said he has never questioned Storen's drive to get guys out and pitch in high-leverage situations. It's just a question now of where that will be next year.

"I know that he wants the ball," Williams said. "Whether it's the eighth inning, ninth inning, save situation, whatever it is, he wants to have that ball, that's all we can ask. He has desire. He has the willingness to go out there and pitch in those situations. Can't ask for anything more than that.

"If you hang a slider, it can get hit. That's the way this game is. Beyond that, he wants it. That's, in and of itself, good."