clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Nationals' Gio Gonzalez placed 15-Day DL with "left shoulder inflammation"

Washington Nationals' lefty Gio Gonzalez struggled with his command in the second straight outing on Saturday afternoon. He's now headed to the 15-Day DL with left shoulder inflammation.

By Patrick Reddington
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

According to reports from Nationals Park this morning, 28-year-old Washington Nationals' lefty Gio Gonzalez is headed for a 15-Day DL stint.

A press release from the Nationals confirmed the reports, saying Gonzalez is headed to the 15-Day DL with "left shoulder inflammation."

Washington Post reporter Adam Kilgore, citing a "person familiar with the situation," reported after the Nationals' 5-2 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday, that Gonzalez would , "...undergo precautionary tests on his arm Sunday," so the Nationals could make sure that there was nothing physically wrong with the left-hander.

"We ask him and he says he feels fine. It's just a question of being inconsistent." - Matt Williams on if Gio Gonzalez's struggles are health-related

For the second straight start, Gonzalez struggled with his command and threw 84 pitches in his short time on the mound on Saturday, a week after an abbreviated outing in Oakland in which he experienced similar control issues.

Nats' skipper Matt Williams told reporters yesterday that Gonzalez consistently assured the Nationals that he felt fine, though he did experience discomfort in his shoulder last month in a start at home in D.C. against the Los Angeles Angels.

"I can't put a finger on that because I don't know," Williams said when asked if he could explain Gonzalez's struggles. "There's no difference in velocity. He's running it in there at 94 mph, it doesn't feel like that. He had a little tight shoulder earlier this year, but has continued to pitch and tells us that he feels good. I don't know."

"There's no difference in velocity. He's running it in there at 94 mph, it doesn't feel like that..." - Williams on worries that Gio Gonzalez might be injured

"We ask him and he says he feels fine," the Nats' skipper continued. "It's just a question of being inconsistent. His release point is a little bit all-over-the-place, but that's kind of typical of him. Sometimes it gets there. And he tends to zone it in as he gets through the game, but the last two that hasn't been the case. It's been falling behind and coming to the hitters and they've been whacking it. So, have to do a little bit better job of zoning in early if that's the case."

MLB.com's Bill Ladson was the first to report this morning that Gonzalez was headed to the DL:

In light of the news on Gonzalez, the Nationals have called right-hander Ryan Mattheus up from Triple-A Syracuse.

Gonzalez's injury is another in a long line of issues the Nationals have dealt with early this season. He joins Ryan Zimmerman (fractured thumb) and Bryce Harper (sprained left thumb) and Adam LaRoche (quad) on the DL. The Nats just got Wilson Ramos back after he broke the hamate bone in his left hand on Opening Day.

More From Federal Baseball