Cruz sits again, DiSarcina OK after foul ball incident

DENVER – Nelson Cruz is out of the Nationals lineup for the second straight day, though manager Davey Martinez said the 41-year-old designated hitter’s lower back is feeling better.

Cruz hasn’t played since Lane Thomas pinch-hit for him in the seventh inning of Tuesday night’s series opener against the Rockies, hampered by lower back stiffness. He sat out Wednesday night’s game, only the second time he hasn’t been in the lineup this season.

Martinez said Cruz suggested he could have started today’s series finale, but the manager didn’t want to take a chance of him needing to depart early again, given the fact he only has three players on his bench at the moment.

“We’re at the point now where if we utilize him as a pinch-hitter, as far as just getting him out there, it’s great,” Martinez said. “I don’t want him to stiffen up during the game. So we thought we’d give him another day. For me, especially with our bench only being a couple guys, if we can use him later in the game, instead of putting him in and something happens … hopefully he’ll be in there tomorrow.”

Cruz has been mired in a season-long slump, entering the day with a .143 batting average and .442 OPS (both second-worst among qualified National League hitters).

Yadiel Hernandez, batting .371 with a .926 OPS, is again batting cleanup and serving as designated hitter with Cruz on the bench. Dee Strange-Gordon, meanwhile, starts in left field today for the first time this season.

It’s Strange-Gordon’s first game appearance since he returned from an illness that left him on an undisclosed injured list for nearly three weeks. The veteran utilityman played five games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester once he was cleared to return, but his only outfield work there came in center field.

“I wanted to get him out there, so he gets an opportunity to play left field,” Martinez said. “He matches up well against (Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela) today. Just get him out there get back into the swing of things.”

* Third base coach Gary DiSarcina was in good spirits this morning after getting struck in the back of his head by a ricocheting foul ball during Wednesday night’s game.

DiSarcina was standing along the front rail of the visitors dugout when a foul ball whizzed just above him and several other coaches, struck the side the dugout roof and caromed right back at him, striking him toward the back left part of his head.

Director of athletic training Paul Lessard quickly tended to DiSarcina, running him through a concussion protocol. DiSarcina was able to continue coaching throughout the rest of the game but said he did wake up this morning with a slight headache. He said he may start wearing a helmet even when in the dugout, as first base coach Eric Young Jr. has done.

Turns out, DiSarcina also was hit on the top of the head by an errant throw during batting practice Wednesday afternoon.

“I thought: Holy moly, this guy’s got a magnet today!” Martinez said. “But he’s OK. He was just shook up, because he ducked, didn’t think anything of it, and then he got hit.”

* Martinez clarified several injury updates he provided before Wednesday’s game.

Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross faced live hitters in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday and are scheduled to return to do it again Friday.

Carter Kieboom, out since spring training with an elbow injury, has begun throwing again from 60 feet. The third baseman is on the 60-day IL, so he’s not eligible to return until June at the earliest.