Phillies closer Jhoan Duran driven off field after taking comebacker off his right foot

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jhoan Duran entered a game in a non-save situation for the first time since the Philadelphia Phillies acquired the star closer from Minnesota at the trade deadline. Four pitches later, Duran was limping and needed a ride off the field.

Duran took a comebacker off the outer part of his right ankle in the ninth inning of Philly’s 6-2 win at Washington on Friday night. After the game, the Phillies said X-rays on the burly right-hander were negative. He will be evaluated further on Saturday.

“Obviously a bad spot to get hit,” Phillies star Bryce Harper said.

Pitching with a four-run lead after four days off, Duran began the ninth by facing Paul DeJong, who hit a sharp grounder to the mound. The ball deflected off Duran’s ankle and into foul territory for a single.

“He ran like a shot over there to retrieve the ball and then once he got there, I think the adrenaline wore off,” manager Rob Thomson said. “The pain set in.”

Duran began limping as he approached the foul line and had trouble putting weight on his right foot. After a lengthy visit by team trainers, he took a seat in the Nationals’ bullpen cart and was driven away.

“He actually said, ‘I feel better, I think I can walk over to the dugout,’” said Thomson, who described the cart as a precaution given the long staircase that leads to the visiting clubhouse at Nationals Park. “I mean, he’s 240 pounds. I don’t want to be carrying him up the stairs.”

Duran is 4-for-4 in save opportunities with the Phillies. David Robertson relieved him and gave up a double to Luis García Jr., then retired the next three batters to prevent Duran from being charged with a run for the first time since the trade.

The 27-year-old Duran has a 1.86 ERA and 20 saves this season, and the National League East-leading Phillies need him if they want to make a deep October run.

“You just kind keep your fingers crossed there,” slugger Kyle Schwarber said, “and hope that it’s nothing super serious.”

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