8 Danny Espinosa, 2B

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa (wrist) continues to make progress during his minor-league rehab assignment, meaning the team could soon be forced to make a roster decision. But Anthony Rendon's emergence at second base makes it a tougher than expected decision for the Nationals, who expected Espinosa to resume his duties at second base once healthy.

"Now that Danny is healthy he needs to go ahead and show what he is capable of doing," manager Davey Johnson said Monday, per The Washington Post. "He certainly has the talent to do it. What Rendon is doing doesn’t have any bearing on what he is doing. He needs to get comfortable on both sides of the dish and do the things he is capable of doing. I know he is handling it defensively. Is he in a good frame of mind? Is he getting in a good groove left and right? And not worry about anything other than that.”

General manager Mike Rizzo said previously Espinosa, who hit .158 prior to going on the DL, could end up in the minors once he's ready to return and it's becoming a real possibility thanks to Rendon, who is batting .344 in 18 games.

"I don’t think there’s a better defensive second baseman in the league than Danny Espinosa," Johnson said. "But the one thing we want is Danny to be comfortable on both sides of the dish. And when he does that, he could be All-Star. It’s that simple."

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa told The Washington Post he felt fine after starting his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Syracuse Thursday.

Espinosa played three innings and finished 1 for 2 with a run and strikeout while batting right-handed in his rehab opener.

"He's a tough guy," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "I don't think these injuries will set him back. I think he just needs to get his timing down and start feeling good about himself from the left and the right side."

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa went 1 for 2 and scored a run for Triple-A Syracuse in the first game of his rehab assignment Thursday before being removed from the game for a defensive replacement.

Espinosa is working his way back from a fractured right wrist and was scheduled to play just three innings in his first rehab appearance.

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa will begin a rehab assignment by playing three innings with Triple-A Syracuse Thursday, the Washington Post reports.

Espinosa, who has resumed baseball activities as expected, is on the disabled list with a fractured right wrist. He could remain in the minors to work on his swing once the rehab assignment officially ends.

If Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa is feeling better in the next few days, he will likely resume baseball activities. Espinosa had a cortisone injection Thursday in his fractured right wrist, and the team is waiting to see how he responds before moving forward, according to The Washington Times. 

"From my understanding, the break and the little chip that’s separated from it is not in a position where it can cause any more irritation," manager Davey Johnson said Saturday, without putting a specific timeline on Espinosa's resumption of activities. "And the major bone has probably had enough time to calm down. So hopefully he won’t have a whole lot of discomfort, no weakness in the hand. He was playing through it pretty good.”

Johnson also reiterated that Espinosa's torn rotator cuff is not a concern, and will not have any impact on when he can return from the disabled list. The wrist remains his only concern, after he opted to avoid surgery on the shoulder.

"The shoulder, he did a lot of exercising to strengthen all the muscles around the rotator cuff," Johnson said. "The doctors decided to go that route instead. Maybe we’re past it. I don’t know. That will be something we have to look at in the offseason."

Espinosa may not return to the majors when he comes off the disabled list.