Brad Lidge Has Rough Rehab Assignment Outing

A month ago, Brad Lidge had surgery to fix a hernia, which had previously been stated as a simple “abdominal strain.”

Ouch. Now that you’ve felt some of that pain yourself, probably, here’s what happened in Lidge’s first rehab outing:

Brad Lidge was roughed up a bit in his brief rehab appearance for Class A Potomac this evening, allowing three of four Frederick batters he faced to reach safely in the bottom of the first before being pulled upon reaching his predetermined pitch count.

The veteran reliever, out since late April following surgery to repair a sports hernia, struck out the first batter he faced, then issued a walk and two singles, allowing one run to score in the process. He threw a total of 22 pitches, only 10 of them strikes.

That doesn’t sound promising. Lidge will, according to the linked article, have two or three more rehab appearances before coming back to major-league action, but he’ll probably have to pitch better than that before the Nationals activate him.

For more on the Nationals, please visit Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC.

Brad Lidge Has Successful Hernia Surgery

Late last week, Washington Nationals closer Brad Lidge was placed on the disabled list with what was described at the time as an “abdominal strain”.

Turned out to be something a bit more serious, a hernia; the good news is that Lidge is now on the road to recovery:

#Nats RHP Brad Lidge had surgery this morning to repair a hernia. Agent Rex Gary said everything went “very well.”

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) May 1, 2012

It could take up to three weeks before Lidge is cleared to throw again, and then it’s likely he’ll have to go on a rehab assignment. Thus, the Nats will have to continue to to with Henry Rodriguez as their closer, probably for another month. Rodriguez has pitched reasonably well, recording five saves, but he also leads the National League in wild pitches, with four.

Rodriguez is actually the Nats’ third choice at closer; Drew Storen, the original closer, is also on the DL, recovering from surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow.

For more on the Nats, please visit Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC.

Brad Lidge Injury Forces Co-Closer To Disabled List

Brad Lidge has been one of the Washington Nationals' closers this season, but now he's going to be sidelined with an abdominal strain.