WASHINGTON -- Nationals left fielder Adam Eaton has been shut down from baseball activities for the time being while the team allows the bone bruise in his left ankle to completely heal.
Eaton had initially hoped his ankle injury would limit him to just around 10 days on the disabled list, but he continued to feel discomfort each time he tried to test it. He was re-evaluated this past week and the team wants the outfielder to focus on getting treatment for the time being.
"We want to get this bruise totally out of there before he starts anything else," manager Dave Martinez said Tuesday. "Because it's kind of like a come-and-go thing. We were in L.A. and he felt good one day, then one day he didn't feel good. We're just going to kind of limit his activities right now, and hopefully get him here soon to get back to baseball activities."
Eaton played in just eight games for the Nationals this season and got off to a terrific start coming off a torn left ACL, batting .345/.424/.655 while scoring 10 runs to ignite the team from the top of the lineup.
However, Eaton appeared to be hampered running around at times and on a slide to the plate on April 5 against the Mets, he suffered the ankle injury that ultimately landed him on the DL. Now, it seems the Nationals are going to be without their leadoff hitter for another extended period of time.
Rendon to begin rehab assignment soon
During early batting practice Tuesday afternoon, both Anthony Rendon (left toe) and Daniel Murphy (right knee) underwent some intense running programs on the field to test their respective injuries. They ran the bases and took grounders under the watchful eye of some of the team's head training staff before they both hit.
Rendon felt good after his workout, the third day in a row he has completed a full routine of baseball activities, so Martinez believes Rendon could begin a Minor League rehab assignment soon. Murphy, who rejoined the team in D.C. on Monday, appeared to be moving around well at times, but also pulled up a bit short running to first base during one drill and required some maintenance to his right leg.
"This is the track he was on," Martinez said. "We got so gung-ho because he was doing so good at first, but they said [recovery from Murphy's microfracture knee surgery] is a minimum of six months and then we'll see where it goes from there."
Goodwin shut down 
Outfielder Brian Goodwin, who is on the DL with a left wrist contusion, felt some discomfort in the wrist over the past few days, so he was shut down from baseball activity at the team's complex in West Palm Beach, Fla. Martinez says Goodwin is beginning to feel better and could resume swinging a bat in the next few days.