Tight leg forces Kendrick to bench early in Monday's win

Howie Kendrick delivered the only run-scoring hit of Monday night's game at Nationals Park. But he may not be available to his club tonight after his right leg tightened up on him late, forcing manager Davey Martinez to pull him after seven innings.

"His right leg tightened up on him," Martinez said following the Nats' 2-0 win over the Braves. "That's all he told me. He didn't give specifics. Precautionary."

Kendrick dealt with some leg issues late last season but seemingly had been healthy through this season's first nine games. With Daniel Murphy still recovering from October knee surgery, the versatile 34-year-old has become the team's de facto starting second baseman.

And Kendrick has been among the few members of the lineup who has consistently hit through the cold first week-and-a-half of the regular season. His two-out, two-run double down the third base line in the bottom of the first Monday night was his 12th hit in 35 at-bats so far. Only Anthony Rendon has more, with 13 in 42 at-bats.

Kendrick, who was getting treatment and did not appear in the clubhouse while reporters were present after the game, has reached base safely in all nine contests he's played. He has notched at least one hit in eight of those games, five of those hits turning into doubles.

With the Nationals ahead 2-0 late in Monday's game and Kendrick reporting the leg tightness, Martinez sent Wilmer Difo in to finish the game in his stead.

"We already had the lead," the manager said. "Difo can play second base as good as anybody, so we just put him in there."

Difo has been less productive at the plate to date, going 3-for-15, though he has drawn four walks to raise his on-base percentage to .368.