Danny Valencia will miss ‘a few days’ with sprained hand

AHEIM, Calif. — Danny Valencia and the Royals received a dose of good news late on Saturday night, when X-rays on his sore left hand were negative. Valencia feared he fractured the hamate bone, but instead suffered a sprain.

“It’s pretty sore today,” Valencia said Sunday. “Just hopefully it dies down quickly.”

Valencia expects to miss “a few days,” he said. In his absence, Jimmy Paredes will start at third base. He hit .326 with an .843 on-base plus slugging percentage with Class AAA Omaha. He is a switch hitter.

Paredes went one for three Sunday and started the team’s third-inning scoring surge in a 4-3 loss. Both he and Valencia are filling in for regular third baseman Mike Moustakas, who was demoted to the minors on Thursday after a pitiful start to the year.

Valencia injured himself during his last at-bat in the 13th inning on Saturday night. He stayed in the game and doubled to spark the winning rally. He endured plenty of ribbing for his plight the next morning, as an electronic stimulation machine provided treatment for his hand.

“I very highly don’t think it’s a D.L. thing,” manager Ned Yost said.


(kansascity.com)