Danny Espinosa is not in the Washington Nationals' starting lineup for Friday night's game against the New York Mets, which isn't remarkable on its own. Everyone needs a day off, and Espinosa has been struggling recently. But his absence from the lineup is significant given what he said back in July, via Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
"You're supposed to play all 162, aren't you?" Espinosa said. "I want to play in every game. I want to start in every game. I don't want to miss a single thing. I hate sitting out. I love playing every single day, whether I'm hurt, whether I'm not feeling 100 percent. I want to play."
It remains to be seen if Espinosa ends up pinch-hitting in the game to keep his streak alive. If not, he'll fall short of his goal. Maybe it's for the best, seeing as he's slumped in the second half without resting.