Washington Nationals call Adrián Sanchez up after injury to Trea Turner

Trea Turner squared to bunt at an 0-1 pitch from Philadelphia Phillies’ pitcher Zach Eflin last night, with his right index finger draped over the top of his bat, and the pitch went right at his hand and caught him on the exposed digit.

It was clear on impact that there was an issue. Turner couldn’t bend the finger.

“I couldn’t move it,” Turner said, after learning he’d suffered a non-displaced break in the finger.

“I’ve never had anything dislocated,” he added, “so I figured that’s what it was, and I think it might have been a combination of that and also with a break, I’m not really sure, but yeah, I couldn’t move it so I knew something wasn’t good.”

Turner said he was hoping it was just a dislocation until an X-ray revealed a break.

“Just because I think that would be a better scenario than a broken bone, but you know, just frustrated, that’s all really, just frustrated.”

Manager Davey Martinez said they had no idea after the game how long the 25-year-old would be out.

“There’s no timetable right now,” the skipper told reporters.

“The ball was in, and he just couldn’t get out of the way,” Martinez explained when asked what he saw on the pitch.

“I think the ball just kept running in on him,” he added.

“Yeah, you know, I think I don’t expect anybody to throw basically at my head, so for me when I see a ball in that kind of tunnel, first thought is slider,” Turner said.

“Maybe started up and in, tried to get for a strike. Tried staying in there with a bunt and just kind of kept running.”

Martinez said last night that they already had a player on the way to take Turner’s place on the roster.

“We’re going to try to get hopefully somebody here by game time. The turnaround is quick, so we’re hoping he arrives,” he explained, with a 1:05 PM start in the second of two with the Phillies and the Nationals’ top minor league affiliate in Fresno, CA now.

Adrián Sanchez got the call, with Nats’ GM Mike Rizzo telling 106.7 the FAN in D.C.’s Sports Junkies this morning that he didn’t think the Nationals’ top prospect, Carter Kieboom, was ready to play every day at short right now.

Martinez said Wilmer Difo will play short for now.

“Difo is going to get an opportunity to play, and he’s here for a reason, so we’ve just got to come back tomorrow and play baseball.”

Turner was placed on the 10-Day Injured List this morning.