PHOENIX – Diamondbacks center fielder Adam Eaton’s season is over a few days earlier than scheduled.
Eaton suffered a fractured right hand when he was hit by a pitch from Chicago Cubs’ left-hander Jeff Beliveau in the seventh inning of the D-backs’ 8-2 victory on Saturday. Post-game x-rays revealed the break.
“It's broken ... nothing we can do but cheer on the D-backs for the rest of the season!! Let's sweep these Cubs tomorrow,” Eaton tweeted 45 minutes after the game ended.
Eaton, who is considered a strong candidate to win a starting job in 2013, singled and scored in the first and second innings Saturday, jump-starting two rallies as the D-backs opened a 4-0 lead for Trevor Cahill. After an 0-for-19 slide, Eaton had reached base in seven of his last 11 plate appearances, with a sacrifice bunt included.
He was hit on an inside fastball with runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh inning, and he immediately reached for his hand in the batter’s box before running to first base. Eaton played the eighth inning in the field but was removed in the ninth when the hand swelled noticeably.
Eaton hit .259 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and two stolen bases in 22 games after being promoted Sept. 4 from Class AAA after Chris Young suffered a strained right quadriceps in San Francisco the day before. Eaton was the Pacific Coast League’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year. He walked 14 times and was hit three times with the D-backs, pushing his on-base percentage is .382.
