The Washington Nationals sent shortstop Trea Turner to Single-A Potomac, where he will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday night.
Turner fractured his right index finger when he was hit by a pitch April 2 with the Nationals, and Tuesday will be his first game action since the injury. The P-Nats host the Down East Wood Ducks, a Texas Rangers farm team, at 7:05 p.m.
The length of his rehab assignment has not been determined. Turner will play shortstop in Tuesday’s game.
Manager Dave Martinez said he wanted Turner to “get back in the swing of playing nine innings” with the rehab stint. He was happy with how Turner was coming along in batting and fielding practice over the last few days while the team played in Los Angeles.
“His throwing, his turning double plays, moving around the base, backhands, transfers from his glove to his hand,” Martinez said. “Those were some of the issues that we wanted to see him do, and Sunday he looked good.”
Turner was hitting .357 in 14 at-bats with four steals and two homers before going to the injured list.
With the loss of Turner the Nationals turned to Wilmer Difo to be the everyday shortstop. Then the club called up infield prospect Carter Kieboom, who hit two homers in 11 games with the Nationals while playing short. But he also made four errors and last week and was sent back to Triple-A Fresno.
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