Nationals Notes: Ribalta Injured, Cruz Debuts, Early Recovery Updates

The Nationals announced today that right-hander Orlando Ribalta has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to September 4, with right forearm inflammation. Fellow righty Yovanny Cruz has been recalled in a corresponding move. It’s unclear how serious Ribalta’s injury is. At this point of the calendar, any IL stint could be season-ending. The Nats also have motivation to be cautious. They flirted with contention in the summer but sold at the deadline and are now 9.5 games out of a playoff spot. It makes sense to prioritize the future since this isn’t going to be their year. Ribalta…