WASHINGTON — Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist today and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

"I feel bad for him, because I know how much Nick loves to play," Nationals manager Manny Acta said.

Johnson had the surgery at the Mayo Clinic. He is expected to be healthy by spring training next year.

"You've got to feel bad for Nick and his family. He's had a tough career of injuries," Washington general manager Jim Bowden said. "You can't explain it. Some players just get hit by the injury bug. And his injuries, a lot of them were just freak accidents, unfortunately."

Johnson missed all of last season while recovering from a broken leg suffered late in the 2006 season.

He injured his wrist while swinging in a game against the Mets on May 13 and was placed on the disabled list two days later.

"It's just been unlucky," said Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who is also on the disabled list with a small tear in his left shoulder. "It's not like he's doing crazy things — it's just weird. It's like it always happens to him."

Johnson was batting .220 with five home runs and 20 RBIs in 38 games this season. He also had 33 walks for a .415 on base percentage, the best mark of any Washington player.

"There's not one thing you can pick on him when he's healthy," Acta said. "Even when his batting average isn't there, he's getting on base four out of 10 times. ... Defensively, he was brilliant this year, and his clubhouse presence — he's a quiet guy, but he leads by example."

Johnson's injury is the latest blow to a team that has dealt with injuries all season. Washington has sent 13 different players to the disabled list this season, and the team currently has seven players on the DL.