Paul DeJong

29 april 2025

Likely to miss two-plus months

DeJong isn't expected to return from the 10-day injured list for at least two months after undergoing surgery Monday to repair his nose and sinuses, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. He also had a titanium orbital plate inserted as part of the procedure.

Analyse

DeJong was injured when he was struck on the left side of his face by a 92.7 mile-per-hour fastball in an April 15 game against the Pirates. In addition to breaking his nose, DeJong sustained a huge gash to his cheek and dealt with considerable bleeding in his left eye, resulting in him being rushed to the hospital before he was released the next day. Because he was still dealing with significant swelling near his eye more than week after the incident, DeJong waited until Monday to have his surgery, which was more extensive than anticipated. The Nationals haven't offered up a clear timeline for DeJong to return to action, but the 31-year-old infielder said he expects to resume working out in about a month with the hope of being ready to play in games at some point shortly before the All-Star break. A more precise target date for his return could be established once he's further removed from the surgery.