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Nationals' Foster Griffin: Effective in spring debut
Rotowire
Griffin gave up two hits and a walk over two scoreless innings in Wednesday's exhibition game against Team Venezuela. He struck out one.
Seeing his first game action of the spring, the 30-year-old left-hander tossed just 15 strikes on 29 pitches but avoided any damage against a star-studded lineup headlined by the likes of Ronald Acuna, Jackson Chourio and Salvador Perez. Griffin is expected to break camp in the Nationals' rotation after signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal to return to MLB from Japan, and the addition of a split-finger fastball to his low-velocity arsenal could allow him to handle a regular turn, or transition to a swingman role if Washington gets unexpected contributions from younger arms.
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Nationals' Jacob Young: Not hitting due to wrist issue
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The Nationals announced Wednesday that Young hasn't been cleared for hitting while he tends to a right wrist contusion, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Young has been managing the wrist issue since being hit by a pitch during batting practice Feb. 18, but he appeared to have moved past the injury after he made his Grapefruit League debut last Friday against the Astros. However, Young hasn't been included in any of the Nationals' spring lineups since then, with the bruised wrist apparently still presenting some complications. The Nationals are seemingly hopeful that Young will be ready to resume hitting after a few more days of rest, but any further setbacks or plateauing in the recovery process could put his availability in jeopardy for Opening Day.
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Nationals' Trevor Williams: Starts throwing again
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The Nationals announced that Williams (elbow) has resumed his throwing progression and made 25 tosses from 60 feet Wednesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Washington had shut down Williams at the onset of spring training when he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired right elbow, but a follow-up MRI apparently revealed nothing too concerning. After a brief rest period, Williams is now in the process of ramping back up again, but a clearer timeline for his 2026 debut with the Nationals won't come into focus until he resumes facing hitters and embarks on what will likely be a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment. At the very least, Williams will remain shelved for the first two months of the season after Washington placed him on its 60-day injured list Feb. 10.
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Nationals' DJ Herz: In midst of throwing program
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The Nationals announced Wednesday that Herz (elbow) is continuing to progress in his throwing program, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Back on Feb. 21, MLB.com reported that Herz had been playing catch at a distance up to 150 feet, but it's unclear if he remains limited to throwing off flat ground or if he's since graduated to throwing off a mound. Regardless, after landing on the 60-day injured list, Herz is slated to miss the first two months of the 2026 campaign -- and likely some additional time beyond that -- while he continues to work his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent April 16, 2025.
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Nationals' Warming Bernabel: Falls short in roster battle
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The Nationals reassigned Bernabel to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Pushed off the Rockies' 40-man roster in the offseason after posting a .698 OPS in 146 plate appearances with the big club in 2025, Bernabel caught on with the Nationals on a minor-league deal in December. Though Washington is heading into 2026 without an established everyday option at first base, Bernabel apparently didn't make a compelling enough of a case for a spot on the Opening Day roster, despite going 3-for-9 with a walk and no strikeouts over his first five Grapefruit League games. Bernabel should be in line for an everyday role in the corner infield at Triple-A Rochester to begin the season.
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Nationals' Shinnosuke Ogasawara: Dispatched to MiLB camp
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The Nationals reassigned Ogasawara to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Ogasawara will earn $2 million in 2026 after signing a two-year deal with the Nationals in January 2025, but the left-hander no longer possesses a spot on the 40-man roster after Washington outrighted him earlier in the offseason. After coming over from Japan last winter, Ogasawara posted a 6.98 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 30:17 K:BB over 38.2 innings across 23 appearances (two starts) with Washington.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: Rejoins spring lineup
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Crews (thumb) will start in center field and bat sixth in Wednesday's exhibition versus Team Venezuela.
Crews injured his left thumb during live batting practice Saturday, but after three days off to let the bruised digit heal, he's made enough progress to rejoin the Nationals' spring lineup. Through his first four Grapefruit League games, the 24-year-old has gone 1-for-9 with a 1:3 BB:K, two runs and one RBI.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Lofts first spring homer
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Ruiz went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
The 27-year-old switch hitter launched his first long ball of the spring from the left side, as he took Bryan Abreu deep in the fourth inning on a 96 mph fastball. Ruiz is coming off a rough 2025 that was cut short after 68 games by concussion issues, and he's locked in a camp battle for the starting job at catcher with prospect Harry Ford, who was acquired from the Mariners in December.
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Nationals' Josiah Gray: Finally back on mound Monday
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Gray gave up one run on two hits over 1.2 innings during Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out three without walking a batter.
He was wilder than the line would suggest, uncorking one wild pitch and plunking two Houston batters, but it was still a mostly successful spring debut for Gray after he missed most of 2024 and 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. The right-hander popped 94 mph with his first fastball of the day, and while he unsurprisingly couldn't maintain that velocity, he liberally deployed his slider, sweeper and curveball among his 39 pitches (25 strikes). Given the long layoff, Gray will be a risky fantasy option this season, but the Nationals are counting on him to at least take a regular turn in the rotation.
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Nationals' Andry Lara: Sent to minor-league camp
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The Nationals reassigned Lara to minor-league camp Monday.
Washington outrighted Lara to the minors in January, but the 23-year-old righty still received an invitation to big-league camp to begin spring training. Lara made eight appearances out of the Washington bullpen in 2025, though he'll likely have a tougher time resurfacing in the majors this season now that he's no longer on the 40-man roster.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: X-rays on thumb are negative
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Crews is considered day-to-day after X-rays on his left thumb came back negative, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Crews was hit on the thumb by a pitch during live batting practice Saturday and was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins as a result. He'll remain out of the lineup Monday against the Astros but should be back in action in a day or two. Crews has gone 1-for-9 with a 1:3 BB:K in his first four contests during the Grapefruit League.
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Nationals' Brady House: Keeps slugging Saturday
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House went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.
The 22-year-old third baseman has been swinging a hot bat to begin spring training. Through four games, House has gone 5-for-11 with two doubles and two homers while posting a 0:3 BB:K. Plate discipline remains a concern after he posted an atrocious 8:78 BB:K in 274 plate appearances during his big-league debut last season, helping drag down his .234/.252/.322 slash line, but House has power potential if he can learn to make more consistent contact.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: Scratched with sore thumb
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The Nationals scratched Crews from the lineup for Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins due to left thumb soreness.
Christian Franklin was added to the starting nine as a replacement for Crews in right field and as the Nationals' No. 3 batter. Assuming that he isn't dealing with a fracture or ligament damage to his thumb, Crews will likely check back into the lineup within the next few days. The 24-year-old outfielder has gone 1-for-9 with one walk, two runs and one RBI through his first four Grapefruit League contests.
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Nationals' Luis Garcia: Set for spring debut Friday
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Garcia (hamstring) is starting at second base and batting cleanup in Friday's Grapefruit League tilt against the Astros, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Garcia is ready for his spring training debut after missing nearly a week of action due to tightness in his left hamstring. The 25-year-old is tentatively lined up to be the Nationals' primary second baseman this season, though he could also see ample playing time at first base on days the club wants to put Nasim Nunez at the keystone.
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Nationals' Jacob Young: Making spring debut Friday
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Young (wrist) is starting in center field and batting second in Friday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Astros, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Young was held out of the first handful of Nationals spring training contests with right wrist soreness, but he's been cleared for game action. The speedster will see most or all of his playing time in center field for the Nationals this season, but he may need to improve on last year's .583 OPS to get regular starts.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Makes spring debut
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Henry (back) struck out two batters in a perfect inning of relief Tuesday in the Nationals' 6-1 win over the Cardinals in Grapefruit League play.
Despite closing the past season on the injured list while recovering from a back strain, Henry appears to be under no restrictions during the early weeks of spring training. The Nationals head into the 2026 season without an obvious option to close games, and Henry should have the opportunity this spring to stake his claim to a late-inning role. While Henry collected two saves and nine holds over his 57 relief appearances for Washington last season, his peripherals (4.69 SIERA, 8.3 K-BB%, 31.7 GB%) were mostly underwhelming.
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Nationals' Jake Irvin: Looking to keep rotation spot
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Irvin allowed one hit and two walks over two scoreless innings in the Nationals' Grapefruit League game against the Phillies on Monday. He struck out two.
The 29-year-old right-hander is one of only two pitchers to make 33 starts each of the last two years, with the other being Giants ace Logan Webb, but the 2025 results for the two couldn't have been more different. Irvin's 5.70 ERA and 38 homers allowed over 180 innings were the worst marks in the majors among qualifying pitchers, and his 1.43 WHIP and 15.8 percent strikeout rate were both significantly worse than the season before as well. With the Nationals having signed Miles Mikolas and Foster Griffin this offseason to bolster their rotation, and Josiah Gray expected back from Tommy John surgery, Irvin may need a strong spring training performance to hang onto his spot.
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Nationals' Matt Mervis: Effective in spring game
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Mervis went 1-for-1 with a walk, a double, two RBI and one stolen base during Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
Mervis wasn't penciled into the starting lineup Monday, but that didn't prevent him from making an impact. He walked in his first at-bat and later swiped a bag, and he smacked a two-run ground-rule double in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game. Mervis isn't expected to open the 2026 campaign on the big-league squad, but more performances like this could help him throw his hat in the ring for a roster spot.
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Nationals' Elijah Green: Good to go for spring
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Green (hamstring) went 0-for-2 and played four innings in center field Saturday in the Nationals' 6-2 win over the Cardinals in Grapefruit League play.
Green missed the final month of the 2025 season due to a right hamstring strain but was fully cleared for the start of spring training. He'll likely open the upcoming campaign at High-A Wilmington, where he produced a .531 OPS over 140 plate appearances last season before being demoted to Single-A Fredericksburg following the All-Star break.
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Nationals' Cristhian Vaquero: Good to go for spring training
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Vaquero (elbow) went 1-for-1 with a base hit and a stolen base Saturday in the Nationals' 2-1 win over the Astros in Grapefruit League play.
Vaquero looks to be back to full health after he missed the final few weeks of the 2025 campaign due to a dislocated left elbow. The 21-year-old outfielder is expected to open the 2026 season at Single-A Fredericksburg or High-A Wilmington.
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