WASHINGTON — Cubs shortstop Javy Baez eventually was forced to leave Sunday night’s game against the Nationals after injuring his right ankle on a play early in the game.
Baez, last year’s MVP runner-up in the National League, was hurt in the third inning but played until being replaced by Addison Russell defensively in the bottom of the sixth.
With one out in the third, pitcher Jeremy Hellickson hit a slow roller toward short that Baez charged, fielded bare-handed and threw across his body to get the out on a close play.
He appeared to turn the ankle on the final step and throw, falling to the grass in pain.