Nationals Former Top Prospect Suffers Setback In Return From Tommy John

Washington Nationals' third baseman Carter Kieboom has suffered a setback in his return to the field after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The Nationals had been easing Kieboom back into action, but manager Dave Martinez revealed on Sunday that Kieboom is now dealing with soreness in his right shoulder, which is impacting his ability to throw on the field.

Dave Martinez said Carter Kieboom suffered a setback — he’s experiencing shoulder discomfort so the team is going to slow him down and manage his return to the field.

The shoulder doesn’t bother him when he’s hitting, but he was feeling sore after throwing.

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) March 5, 2023

While Kieboom's shoulder isn't affecting his hitting, the Nationals plan to slow him down and manage his return carefully to avoid aggravating the injury further.

Kieboom, a former top prospect, missed the entire 2022 season due to his Tommy John surgery and had been making strides toward a return before the shoulder issue arose. Unfortunately, it now seems likely that he will begin the 2023 season on the injured list.

He was also competing this spring for the Nationals' starting job at third base. The twenty-five-year-old holds a disappointing .197/.304/.285 triple-slash line, with eight home runs, 31 RBIs and 45 runs scored over his first 106 games at the highest level.

Kieboom was the Nationals' first-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft.
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