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WASHINGTON -- Some 2 1/2 months after a scary injury at the plate, Paul DeJong was reinstated from the injured list on Tuesday and rejoined the Nationals as a veteran utility infielder.
DeJong sustained a fractured nose when he was struck in the face by a mislocated 92.7 mph four-seam fastball from Mitch Keller on April 15 at PNC Park. DeJong completed a 12-game rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg. He saw live game-action pitching for the first time since the injury and played second base, third base and shortstop.
“It's been a humbling experience for me to go back to square one and just pray to get healthy and recover from a traumatic injury,” said DeJong, 31. “But that process went just about as good as it could have gone for me.
“I’m thankful for the people around me -- this organization has guided me through this, and the great people, the doctors that worked on me to get me back to this point. Now I'm ready to kind of wipe the slate clean … It's July 1 -- it’s just a great time to be here, and I'm just excited.”
DeJong, a right-handed batter, will play a backup infield role similar to fellow veteran Amed Rosario. DeJong made 12 starts at the hot corner earlier in the season, but the Nationals called up Brady House on June 16 to be the starting third baseman. MLB Pipeline ranks House as the Nationals’ No. 3 prospect and the sport’s No. 82 overall.
“He’s a guy that’s very versatile for us, a big right-handed bat that we can use off the bench,” manager Dave Martinez said of DeJong, adding, “I don’t want him to sit there for 10, 12 days in a row. He’ll get an opportunity maybe to play somewhere or DH against left-handed pitchers. But I told him just to make sure he’s ready.”
After fully recovering, DeJong was pleased that he was able to get back in everyday playing shape. He batted .275 with a .723 OPS and one home run in 40 at-bats with the Senators.
“[I am most proud of] being able to stay positive throughout all this,” DeJong said. “And also to really develop the relationships that I did with not only my grandpa -- who came and stayed with me and took care of me -- but the trainers, everybody here in this organization, really, that was working with me. I was able to kind of get a deeper understanding.
“Then for me to be able to go to the Minor Leagues and be able to kind of set an example for those guys, I thought was important for me. Not only to keep myself at a high standard, but to kind of just promote the positivity and the discipline that it takes to be here.”