The Washington Nationals have placed infielder Howie Kendrick on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain. The placement is retroactive to Sept. 6.
Kendrick last played on Sept. 5. As Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post noted, Kendrick has been dealing with his hamstrings all summer. Coupled with being quarantined for two weeks during summer camp, the 2020 season has been a struggle for the 2019 NLCS MVP.
Kendrick has been limited to 25 games this season. He’s played 19 games at DH and the other six at first base in large due to his hamstring issues. He is hitting .275/.320/.385 with two home runs and 14 RBIs. That’s a huge drop off from last season when he hit .344/.395/.572 in 121 games.
The Nationals are 16-25 with 19 games remaining. They currently sit in last place of the NL East, six games back of second place Philadelphia and five games back of San Francisco for the NL’s final playoff spot.
With a 3.4% chance of making the postseason via ESPN, Kendrick’s return for the season could be in doubt. After his strong postseason showing last year, Kendrick signed a one-year deal with the Nationals. The deal holds a $6.5 million mutual option for 2021 with a $2.25 million buyout.
