Injuries Piling Up For Akron RubberDucks

Naquin and Wendle Join  Lindor As Wounded Ducks

Two days after the Akron RubberDucks lost shortstop Francisco Lindor to a non-displaced fracture of a nasal cavity they have lost two of their better hitters in Joe Wendle and Tyler Naquin to injuries.

General Manager Chris Antonetti told Jordan Bastina of MLB.com that both Wendle and Naquin will see hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham at the Cleveland Clinic.

“With Joey,” Antonetti said, “the likely recourse of that is to go in and have surgery. It’s unfortunate, but it’s usually a couple-month process to get back. It just happens. It’s something that’s been bothering him a little bit and then he re-aggravated it again the other day. When they did the scan, there was a hamate fracture. It usually happens hitting.” – mlb.com

For Naquin the need for surgery is unknown but he will be out at least a few weeks.

“Dr. Graham will see him this week, too,” Antonetti said. “We’ll come up with a plan of action at that point. But, he’s going to miss some time. It’s hard to say how long — at least weeks.” – mlb.com

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Wendle was hitting .259 with eight home runs and 45 runs driven in on the year but had really started to hit after a ice cold April where he posted a triple slash line of .193/.297/.318. He improved in May (.277/.315/.462) and has been blistering the ball in June (.300/.337/.500).

Naquin has put together a fantastic season posting a triple slash line of .313/.371/.424 with four homers, 3o runs driven in (out of the leadoff spot), stealing 14 bases while being caught only three times.

Besides being the prototypical leadoff hitter he has played excellent defense in centerfield making just one error in 185 chances adding nine outfield assists.