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Washington Nationals' Michael Morse's Thumb Swelled After Serious Jammage.

August 13, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Michael Morse (38) hits an RBI single during the third inning at AT&T Park.  Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-US PRESSWIRE
August 13, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Michael Morse (38) hits an RBI single during the third inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-US PRESSWIRE

Jayson Werth's having his ankle checked out today. Reports from San Francisco said Ian Desmond might be closer to coming back than originally expected. The Nats' shortstop went through a full workout yesterday and will take BP again today and tomorrow before the Nats decide if he can take the next step. Michael Morse has an issue with his thumb? The injury issues just won't stop. The Nats' 30-year-old outfielder apparently left last night's game with swelling in his thumb after jamming it during batting practice.

Nationals' manager Davey Johnson spoke briefly about the issue after last night's win over the GIants, telling reporters that, "... even in BP, I tried to keep him from taking BP, his thumb on his right hand was, either from getting jammed, it was getting a little swelling in it. He said, 'I can still play,' and I said, 'There's no need [for] that." The Nationals were, of course, leading 14-0 at that point, so there was really no reason to keep Morse in the game at that point. No word on whether or not he'll be available tonight.

Johnson said last night that he didn't expect Morse would he having any tests on the thumb. He just got jammed. "You get jammed and your thumb swells up," Johnson said, "The object is not to get jammed." The injuries are nothing new to Morse, who missed several months with a lat injury, or the Nationals as a team, who have had Drew Storen, Ryan Zimmerman, Werth, Desmond, Wilson Ramos and others suffer injuries already this season.

Morse has hit in 21 of his last 22 games (and a 22-game hit streak if not for a reversed call), posting a .319/.344/.582 line with six doubles and six home runs over his last 98 plate appearances. On the year, the 30-year-old outfielder who signed a 2-year/$10.5M dollar extension after a .303/.360/.550, 36 double, 31 HR, +3.4 fWAR campaign in 2011, has a .301/.324/.477 line with 14 doubles and 11 HRs in 65 games and 281 plate appearances following his return from the lat injury that kept him out of the lineup until June 2nd.