Baker: Ramos, set for Tuesday MRI, "doesn't look too good"

Just two days after clinching their third National League East title in five seasons, the Nationals may have lost their starting catcher with only handful of games remaining.

Wilson Ramos came down awkwardly on his right leg as he went after a high throw from first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on a relay from right field in the top of the sixth.

Ramos dropped the ball when he hit the ground and was crumpled in pain before head athletic trainer Paul Lessard came out to attend to him. Ramos left the game with the help of Lessard and was replaced by Pedro Severino.

Manager Dusty Baker did not have an update on Ramos immediately after the game. Baker said the Nationals will know more after results from a morning MRI come back later tomorrow. Ramos was not available for comment after the game.

"He doesn't look too good tonight, but we're going to send him in the morning to get an MRI on his knee," Baker said. "You could tell he was in pain. We have to wait til tomorrow to come up with something definitive."

Ramos was injured on a play where D-backs right fielder Yasmany Tomas drilled a double to right field that scored two runs. Brian Goodwin fielded the ball and threw to Zimmerman, whose relate to home plate was high. Ramos leaped to glove the throw, but came down awkwardly on his leg and crumpled to the ground in front of home plate.

"I just threw it home," Zimmerman said. "Stephen (Drew) was behind me and was obviously yelling, 'Four' (home). I threw it home and that's really the last I saw. I haven't seen the play yet."

Drew described what he saw as the ball came in from right fielder Brian Goodwin.

"The initial play, like I was kind of hearing Espi (Danny Espinosa) and then helping Zim and the throw, I knew he jumped, but I kind of looked back at Zim, just telling him what was going on with the play," Drew said. "But I look back and then I see (Ramos) on the ground and I was like, what's going on here?

"It's really unfortunate. I really don't know what's going on, but hopefully it's not worse. It didn't look too good, though."

The D-backs won the game 14-4, but after the game all the questions were about the status of the player fans affectionately call "The Buffalo."

"There's always a level of concern when you lose a guy of that caliber," Baker said. "But that's why we have the depth that we have. Nobody's going to feel sorry for you. We just got to next man up. We got some guys that have to pick it up.

"There's nothing you can do about it. You got to play. You got to play and nobody feels sorry for you, so we're not going to feel sorry for ourselves. I mean it's a big blow when something happens to a player of that caliber."

Ramos came into the game enjoying a career season, batting .307 with 22 homers and 80 RBIs in his final contract year before free agency. He has played in 131 games and is tied for second on the team with 148 hits.

The Nationals have Severino (.350 in 12 games) and veteran Jose Lobaton (.220 in 35 games) available if Ramos is lost for any length of time.

"Worry does no good," Baker said. "Even concern does no good. I feel badly because you know how we all feel about Wilson. But it's part of the game. You hate (for) it to happen this late, right before the playoffs, but our next step is try to figure out a way to play without Wilson. I've been mixing and matching this year and most of my life. Therefore it's another obstacle and I just got to try to go back to the drawing board and figure out something."

But Ramos' teammates don't want to think about not playing with their starting catcher for any length of time.

"I think you guys see he's obviously a leader," Zimmerman said. "Catcher is a very important part of your team. They do a lot of other things than what the numbers show. He's obviously very important."

Said Drew: "He's been unbelievable, the year that he's had. You can look at it yourself. He's part leader of this team. It's a tough break, really is. Offense, this year he's picked it up from last year. It's been incredible.

"What he's done behind the plate to help pitchers out, it's been great. It didn't look too good. My thoughts and all these guys on this team hope for the best for him and we'll be thinking about him."

Pitcher Tanner Roark said: "He's a silent leader. He goes out there and does it with his glove and behind the dish and his bat. And he's hitting (.307) for a reason. So can't rule anything out yet, but ... hoping the best for him."