First baseman Adam LaRoche's first season with the Washington Nationals has unfortunately come to an end. Plagued by shoulder issues since Spring Training and carrying them into the regular season where he accumulated a .172 batting average, LaRoche finally opted to have shoulder surgery that will cut his 2011 campaign short.
LaRoche met in a meeting with the Nationals organization just before Tuesday's game to discuss his options and slowly information has been leaking out. Speaking at an event at Nationals Park for George Washington University alumni, Mike Rizzo announced LaRoche would have surgery to repair the torn labrum in his left shoulder and miss the rest of the season.
This is devastating news for the Nationals who will lose valuable defense at first base and majority of the first year of LaRoche's contract. As dire as the news is, it comes as no surprise to most in the Nationals organization as LaRoche was expected to go under the knife.