WASHINGTON _ Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is out of the lineup for Thursday night's makeup game against the Washington Nationals, and was diagnosed with a strained wrist, though the long-term prognosis is good, according to an industry source.
The team announced that Machado left Wednesday night's walk-off win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Camden Yards with left wrist soreness after center fielder Andrew McCutchen spiked his lower arm on a slide into third base in the second inning.
After the game, manager Buck Showalter said it wasn't Machado's wrist as much as the top of his hand. He had an X-ray at the ballpark, which was negative, but said there was a "pretty deep" gash and his hand was "pretty deeply bruised."
McCutchen caught Machado flush on the top of the left hand, and had the spikes caught in athletic tape around his wrist as well to make the collision more awkward. Machado remained in the game, but when he tried to take some swings in the batting cage before his next at-bat, the discomfort was too much for him to continue playing.
Machado was in the Orioles clubhouse ahead of Thursday's game, with a soft brace on his left wrist and the back of his hand bandaged. He met with Showalter in his office before heading to the trainer's room.
In Machado's stead Thursday, Chris Davis will make his 2017 debut at third base, with Mark Trumbo taking over at first base. Davis hasn't played third base since Sept. 10, 2014, when he played there while Machado was out with a season-ending knee injury.
That leaves utility infielder Ruben Tejada, who took over for Machado Wednesday, on the bench.
Machado is batting .213 with 12 home runs and 27 RBIs this season.
