Ben Zobrist dislocated his thumb sliding into second base - MLB

Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist exited Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Mariners after dislocating his thumb sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt. Zobrist had singled with one out in the fifth and attempted to steal second base as David DeJesus struck out, but was thrown out at second by catcher John Buck to end the inning.

Manager Joe Maddon took Zobrist out of the game, putting Sean Rodriguez in at second base in his place. Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune reports that Zobrist has been diagnosed with a dislocated left thumb. It was put back in place and will stay with the team, and will be reevaluated when the Rays return home after Sunday’s series finale against the Angels in Los Angeles.

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CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”