Stanton out 4-6 weeks with broken hand
MIAMI — For the second year in a row, Giancarlo Stanton’s chances of winning the major league home run title have been hurt by an injury.
The Miami Marlins slugger has a broken left hand, which is expected to sideline him four to six weeks. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday and will meet with a hand specialist.
Stanton, who grimaced as he swung and missed for strike three Friday night in the ninth inning of the Marlins’ 7-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, said the injury became worse as the game progressed.
“We’re hoping that it will be the quickest course possible, but certainly not great news when you lose a guy that means what he’s meant to this ballclub and to baseball,” Marlins manager Dan Jennings said before Saturday’s game.
Stanton is leading the majors with 27 homers and 67 RBIs. Last year he was in the thick of the home run race when a beaning ended his season Sept. 11, and he finished tied for second in the majors with 37 homers.
“It’s very disappointing to see with the work he puts in,” reliever A.J. Ramos said. “You see the year he’s having so you’re definitely disappointed and you feel bad for him.”
The latest injury means Stanton will miss the All-Star Game.
Although Stanton was still taking powerful swings in the ninth Friday, he said the injury occurred earlier.
“On a swing, my bat dug into my hand a little bit and didn’t feel the greatest,” he said Friday after the loss. “It got worse and worse.”
Stanton’s hand appeared swollen, and he said it hurt where he grips the bat. He went 0 for 4 on the night.
He ground out in the first inning and struck out in the fourth, sixth and ninth innings.
Stanton has 12 homers in June, tying the franchise record for any month.
“Now it’s upon us to pick it up and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves,” Jennings said. “It would be easy to toss in the towel right now or we’re going to find out what kind of fighters we have and how we step up.”
DEVELOPMENTS
Briefly: Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Paco Rodriguez has had a setback in his recovery from elbow tendinitis and needs surgery that will sideline him for an additional eight to 10 weeks. Rodriguez made four rehab appearances with Class A Rancho Cucamonga and Triple-A Oklahoma City before the new trouble. Rodriguez, who is 0-0 with a 2.61 ERA in 18 appearances, has been out since May 29.
The Atlanta Braves have placed rookie right-hander Williams Perez on the 15-day DL with a bone bruise in his left foot. The Braves called up righthander Jake Brigham from Triple-A Gwinnett to take Perez’s spot on the roster. ... Two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana has abandoned his comeback bid with the Toronto Blue Jays. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said Saturday that a toe infection was the primary factor in Santana’s decision. Santana, 36, hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2012 with the New York Mets.