WASHINGTON -- Nationals slugger Daniel Murphy was scheduled to start at first base on Friday against the Pirates, but he was scratched because of left hamstring soreness. Murphy is listed as day to day.
Murphy hurt the hamstring sliding during Tuesday's All-Star Game presented by MasterCard. He thought nothing of it until he went to Nationals Park on Friday. After talking to manager Dusty Baker and the training staff, Murphy thought it would be best for him to take the day off. Murphy and the team will re-evaluate the hamstring on Saturday.
"I felt soreness late in the game, a little hamstring soreness," Murphy said after the Nationals' 5-1 win on Friday.
Baker then told Clint Robinson to be ready to start. Robinson ended up going 2-for-4 with an RBI in the victory over the Pirates.
"This is a deep group of position players. It was a great lineup and Clint swung the bat well," Murphy said.
During the first half of the season, Murphy helped carry the Nationals into first place in the National League East. Murphy hit .348 with 17 home runs, 66 RBIs and a .387 on-base percentage, earning a spot in the All-Star Game, in which he went 2-for-3.