Plagued by injuries throughout his major league career, Orioles designated hitter Nick Johnson left Wednesday’s game with a right wrist injury and will undergo an MRI to determine its severity.
After striking out in the second inning, Johnson was replaced by pinch hitter Ryan Flaherty in the bottom of the fourth inning after experiencing weakness in his right wrist. The 33-year-old has undergone multiple surgeries on the same wrist over the course of his 10-year career.
“He said he was good for one swing and after that he lost a lot of the strength,” said manager Buck Showalter after the 13-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. “Had some pain there. I think everyone’s aware of the history, the problems he’s had there.”
Johnson has experienced some soreness in the wrist at different times, mostly stemming from preexisting scar tissue from the surgical procedures. The veteran left-handed hitter said he did not experience any swelling after being lifted for Flaherty and remains optimistic that he can avoid a trip to the disabled list.
However, he admitted the pain is similar to past discomfort felt in the wrist.
“That one pitch got it pretty good and I lost a lot of strength on the next pitch,” Johnson said. “We’ll wait to see what the picture shows and go forward.”
Johnson is hitting .207 with four home runs and 11 runs batted in in 101 plate appearances this season. Since beginning the season 0-for-28, he is hitting .305 in a part-time role for the Orioles.
Once a prime prospect of the New York Yankees, Johnson has struggled to stay healthy despite a .399 career on-base percentage.
