Washington Nationals young third baseman Carter Kieboom will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on his injured elbow. The procedure is scheduled for next Friday. Kieboom was placed on the 60-day injured list during spring training with an elbow strain.
Initially, Kieboom was expected to miss four-to-six weeks through rehab. But after a full month into the season, rehab wasn’t enough to get the 24-year old on the field. Instead, he’ll miss the 2022 season in its entirety.
Carter Kieboom has been tabbed as part of the Nationals’ future. He slotted in at third base as the long-term solution to replace the departed Anthony Rendon. Unfortunately, Kieboom has struggled to secure that status over the past three seasons.
This will be the second of three seasons cut short by injury. In 2020, Kieboom played in just 33 games before a wrist contusion ended his season. Last season, he struggled through 62 games, hitting .207/.301/.318 with six home runs and 20 RBIs.
This season was to be his opportunity to regain his everyday status at third base and stature within the Nationals’ future. Unfortunately, Kieboom is back at square one, hoping to get through a difficult surgery to get another crack at it in 2023.
Fortunately, he is expected to be ready in time for spring training. Maikel Franco, who the team signed this offseason, will be entrenched at third base in Kieboom’s absence.
