Nats catcher Wilson Ramos out 4-to-5 weeks

NEW YORK — Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos underwent surgery to repair the hamate bone in his left wrist on Wednesday morning and will be sidelined from 4-to-5 weeks.

Washington manager Matt Williams made the announcement on his paid weekly radio show on 106.7 – The Fan, confirming a Tuesday night report by the Washington Post.

Ramos originally hurt his left wrist during spring training, bench coach Randy Knorr said in a Tuesday radio interview with the station, and winced in obvious pain after a swing in his final at bat in Monday’s 9-7 Opening Day win over the New York Mets.

The Nats will recall Double-A catcher Sandy Leon from Harrisburg and he will serve as the backup to Jose Lobaton, acquired from Tampa Bay via trade during spring training. Ramos was Washington’s Opening Day cleanup hitter.

Knorr told 106.7 – The Fan’s Sports Junkies that Ramos originally noticed the wrist pain during a game late in spring training in Jupiter, Fla. That’s where both the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals train. Ramos was in the lineup for a game at the Marlins’ complex on March 24.

“[Monday] we were watching it and that last at-bat he had, he took a swing, it was like the second pitch, he took a swing and fouled it off like over the first base dugout,” Knorr said. “I seen it and Rick Schu, our hitting coach, come over and he goes ’Randy, you see that?’ And I go ’Yeah.’ And then he takes a fastball down the middle. Now, Wilson Ramos has never taken a fastball down the middle ever.”

Moments later Ramos was out of the game after that seventh-inning strikeout. Hamate bone injuries are tricky. Players often return to the field in short order, but power, a big part of Ramos’ appeal as a hitter, can often sapped for months. Ryan Zimmerman and ∫ are two other Nats players who have undergone hamate bone surgery.

Will have more reaction from Williams and the clubhouse this afternoon when Washington resumes its series with the Mets at Citi Field.