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Nationals' Catcher Wilson Ramos Will Reportedly Undergo Hamate Bone Surgery, Miss 4-8 Weeks

Washington Nationals' catcher Wilson Ramos left the season opener with an injury and according to a Washington Post report tonight the 26-year-old catcher is headed for hamate bone sugery on his left hand which could cost him 4-8 weeks on the sidelines.

By Patrick Reddington
Jim McIsaac

On Wilson Ramos from our contribution to the SB Nation's 2014 MLB Preview:

"His 2012 season ended after 25 games when he tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee. He played 78 games total this past season and spent over a month on the DL with the second of two hamstring injuries he dealt with last summer. He returned just before the All-Star Break, however, and turned it on, with a .303/.333/.540 month of July and seven home runs in 96 PAs in September. He started an MLB-high 24-straight games in the second half. All signs point to a breakout year... if he can stay healthy."

A torn ACL and meniscus. Two separate hamstring injuries. Now a break of the hamate bone in his left hand.

"There was a foul tip and he took a swing that he didn't feel good on. So we got him out of the game at that point..." - Matt Williams on Wilson Ramos after win over Mets

Washington Post writers James Wagner and Adam Kilgore, quoting "multiple people familiar with the situation," reported tonight that the Nationals' 26-year-old catcher will likely, "...undergo hamate bone surgery on his left hand Wednesday morning." Ramos, who according to what Bench Coach Randy Knorr told 106.7 the FAN in D.C.'s The Sports Reporters this morning, suffered a wrist injury at the end of Spring Training, was lifted from the season opener with the New York Mets on Monday after going 0 for 3 in the first game of the season.

Nats' skipper Matt Williams told reporters after the game that the Nationals' no.1 catcher injured his hand on a foul ball in a seventh inning at bat.

"He did it -- there was a foul tip and he took a swing that he didn't feel good on," Williams told reporters. "So we got him out of the game at that point and got a picture of it, so he'll see the specialist tomorrow and see where we're at."

Marfa Mata, a friend of the Ramos family and a PR spokeswoman for the Nats' backstop reported on Twitter that he suffered a fracture of a bone in his left hand. Williams said that the first X-rays taken by the team were negative, but they were sending him for a second opinion to make sure an MRI was in line with what the X-rays showed.

"That really sucks, man. This guy, he's a really good player and he can't -- I mean, stuff just shows up." - Randy Knorr on Ramos on 106.7 the FAN in D.C.

"Preliminary X-rays were negative," Williams said. "But he's going to see our hand specialist tomorrow."

Knorr told the Sports Junkies this morning that the hand was originally injured in a late-spring Grapefruit League game. "He did this about a week ago," Knorr said. "We were playing down in Jupiter and he took a swing... I noticed that and he came in after an at bat in Jupiter, I said, 'You alright, man?' and he said, 'I don't know, my wrist feels funny.'"

The WaPost's Mrs. Wagner and Kilgore wrote tonight that, "... Ramos could miss up to eight weeks and experience diminished power at the plate once he returns."

26-year-old catcher Jhonatan Solano and 25-year-old Sandy Leon were the top candidates to serves as Ramos' backup before the Nats acquired 29-year-old catcher Jose Lobaton from the Tampa Bay Rays early this spring. While there has been no official announcement on a replacement from the Nationals, the Washington Post reporters wrote that the Nationals, "... planned as of late Monday to call up Class AA Harrisburg catcher Sandy Leon."

Leon tweeted the following today from his personal Twitter account:

More info when it is available...

Here's the Washington Post's James Wagner and Adam Kilgore's report:

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