LSU is down another starter.
Brandt Broussard, the Tigers’ second baseman, is sidelined with a fractured thumb, coach Paul Mainieri said Monday. He will miss "three to five weeks," the school said in a statement.
Broussard, a junior and University High product, visited a “hand specialist” Monday afternoon. The thumb is “black and blue and swollen,” Mainieri said.
Broussard, LSU's leader in batting average, will miss Tuesday’s game against Louisiana-Lafayette (10-13) in the Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic in Metairie.
“It’s a concern,” the coach said before the diagnosis of the fracture. “Don’t know how it happened. All the sudden one day his thumb started hurting. A pitch rode up and in on him (against Vanderbilt). I went out and argued the pitch hit him, and the umpire said it hit the bat. It hit him. I’m concerned that he might have a fracture in that spot of his thumb.”
Broussard’s departure means LSU (16-9) will have to shuffle its infield. Austin Bain, playing at first base, could move to second, and outfielder Daniel Cabrera might see some time at first base. Another option is playing sophomore Jake Slaughter at second, Mainieri said.
“We’re looking at all different options right now,” the coach said. “My concern with putting (Chris) Reid at second and Slaughter at third is Reid doesn’t have a lot of lateral range. Austin Bain is much more athletic in terms of range.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The margin of error is already razor-thin between two good Southeastern Conference teams like LSU and Vanderbilt, and it wa…
Smith, Storz experience setbacks
The recoveries of shortstop Josh Smith and pitcher Nick Storz have slowed.
Smith, LSU’s starting shortstop who’s been out for a month, could be out at least another two weeks, Mainieri said, and Storz is experiencing soreness in his previously injured shoulder.
Smith, recovering from a stress reaction in his back, is “doubtful” to return for LSU’s series against Texas A&M next weekend, an initial target date.
“He had a little bit of a setback last week,” Mainieri said. “Back was bothering him a little more than we thought it would. We expected that he would have started hitting by today, but he’s not going to be able to.”
Storz has not thrown since his 2018 debut last Wednesday because of soreness in his shoulder. He had a bone spur repaired in the shoulder in September. He’ll see a doctor to re-evaluate the shoulder later this week.
“He threw last Wednesday. Unfortunately for the three or four days, he’s had soreness in his shoulder,” Mainieri said. “We haven’t actually done any throwing since he pitched in the game on Wednesday.”
Labas to start
Freshman AJ Labas will start against the Ragin’ Cajuns, and Mainieri hopes it is an extended outing.
Labas (2-0, 2.25) is making his fourth start.
“He’s going to pitch as long as he’s pitching well,” Mainieri said. “Hopefully he’s going to give us a good outing and continue to develop as a starting pitcher and give us a chance to beat a really good team tomorrow.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two of the Southeastern Conference's blue blood college baseball programs played an entertaining series this weekend, with …
