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Nationals' Dylan Crews: Displays wheels
Crews went 1-for-2 with a walk, a triple, two runs scored and a stolen base in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.
Hitting second behind CJ Abrams, Crews was busy on the basepaths, swiping his first bag of the spring after drawing a first-inning walk. The 22-year-old outfielder stole 12 bases on 15 attempts in 31 games during his big-league debut in 2024, and there's no reason to think he'll be reined in this season -- the Nationals led the majors in steals (223) and SB attempts (296) last year, and as a team they've already gone 6-for-6 through their first two Grapefruit League contests.
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Nationals' CJ Abrams: Will bat leadoff
Abrams will be moved back into the leadoff spot this season, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. "CJ's going to lead off," manager Dave Martinez said. "The [Nos.] 3-4-5 will be kind of different a little bit. The [No.] 2 might be different at times. But we do know CJ's going to lead off for us."
Abrams was moved out of the leadoff spot late in the season last year in favor of prospect Dylan Crews when Crews was promoted, but the team will reverse that decision this year. Abrams struggled so much in the second half (.203/.260/.326 with an 11th percentile chase rate) that his ability to remain in that capacity as a leadoff hitter is in question.
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Nationals' Derek Law: Role not yet settled
Law figures to be part of the Nationals' high-leverage crew this season, but it's not clear if he'll get a chance to audition for the open closer role.
Speaking to reporters earlier in camp, general manager Mike Rizzo indicated that Law would be a key bullpen piece for Washington, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. "We don't have a proven commodity at that position, but if the season started today, we would have a guy that we would say would be our ninth-inning guy," Rizzo said. "I don't know who it is yet. It could be Jose Ferrer. It could be Jorge Lopez. Law could have some leverage innings. And it could come from somebody that we haven't thought about yet." The latter category might also include Lucas Sims, who signed with the team earlier this week. Law has mainly been a middle reliever during a big-league career that stretches back to 2016, but he is coming off one of his best statistical seasons, posting a 2.60 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 76:24 K:BB over 90 innings with career highs in appearances (75), wins (seven) and holds (17).
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Nationals' Jarlin Susana: Can't harness heat Saturday
Susana topped out at 103 mph with his fastball during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports, but the right-hander threw only 20 of 34 pitches for strikes as he gave up a hit and two walks over a scoreless sixth inning. He struck out two.
One of the Nationals' top pitching prospects, Susana has yet to pitch above High-A as he continues to be developed as a starter. He'll turn 21 just before Opening Day, and his 157:48 K:BB over 103.2 innings between Single-A and High-A last season highlights both his tremendous upside and the amount of work he still needs to do to get his control and command to a level that will allow him to stick in the rotation.
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Nationals' Jake Irvin: Working on slider
Irvin tossed a perfect inning in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
The 28-year-old right-hander needed only eight pitches to breeze through his first game action of the spring. Per Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports, one of those eight pitches was a slider, an offering Irvin is trying to add to his arsenal in an effort to get more whiffs. "I struggled a lot with getting in-zone swing and miss last year," Irvin said after Saturday's outing. "[The slider] is something that will kind of balance out the really slower curveball and the harder fastball. And then my cutter and changeup are both a little harder, too. I wanted something that's in that middle ground there." Irvin posted a 4.41 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 156:52 K:BB over a career-high 187.2 innings in 2024.
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Nationals' James Wood: Returns to outfield drills
Wood (quadriceps) participated in outfield drills Sunday and continues to take batting practice, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Wood has been limited at the start of camp due to left quadriceps tendinitis, but he was never fully shut down from baseball activities and has now resumed taking part in outfield drills. Wood remains out of the lineup for Sunday's Grapefruit League game but may not be far off from making his spring debut.
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Nationals' Lucas Sims: Set for live BP on Sunday
Sims will throw a live batting practice session Sunday, his first one since signing with the Nationals on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
The veteran right-hander is a little behind the Nats' other relief arms after signing late, but his availability for Opening Day isn't in jeopardy. Sims is coming off a bumpy 2024 split between Boston and Cincinnati, but he posted a 3.10 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 72:39 K:BB over 61 innings for the Reds in 2023, and he figures to be in the high-leverage mix for a Washington squad with a very unsettled bullpen picture.
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Nationals' James Wood: Absent for spring opener
Wood (quadriceps) is not in the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against the Astros, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
The 22-year-old outfielder has been limited this week due to left quad tendinitis, but at this point there doesn't seem to be serious concern surrounding his Opening Day availability. As long as Wood is able to start playing in spring games within the next couple weeks, he will still have plenty of time to build up for the start of the season as he looks to take the next step in 2025 following a highly successful rookie campaign.
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Nationals' MacKenzie Gore: No longer starting Saturday
Gore is no longer scheduled to start Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against the Astros, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Jake Irvin is now listed as the starter for the first game of the exhibition slate, but there is no reported injury to Gore. Instead, this is a matter of Gore preferring to build up to the point of potentially reaching two innings in his spring debut, and the Nationals accommodating the left-hander's request and keeping him on the side for an additional live batting practice session. Gore still seems like the frontrunner for the Opening Day nod in 2025.
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Nationals' DJ Herz: Cleans up mechanics over offseason
Herz focused on adding strength and cutting out unneeded movement in his pitching mechanics this offseason, leaving him optimistic that he'll be able to build off a promising rookie season in 2025, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports. "Everything's in the zone, everything's where you want it. And it's cool to see that all of my bullpens have been like that so far," Herz said Saturday, after his first official bullpen session of spring training. "Now it's time to translate to the game."
After some early struggles upon his initial call-up to the big leagues in early June, Herz settled in nicely following the All-Star break and was arguably performing as Washington's best starter by season's end. Altogether, Herz turned in a 4.16 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 106:36 K:BB in 88.2 innings with the big club, but he'll still have to fight for a back-end rotation spot throughout spring training. Herz displayed a well-developed fastball and changeup as a rookie, but honing the command of his breaking pitches this spring will likely be essential if he's to break camp with the big club. Herz has cleaned up his delivery from the windup and eliminated an unnecessary backward step he had been taking last season, resulting in a smoother operation.
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Nationals' Jarlin Susana: Already popping triple digits
Susana hit 100 mph with his fastball in his first bullpen session of the spring and looked dominant during a live batting practice session Wednesday as he worked in his slider, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
The 20-year-old right-hander will continue to be developed as a starter in the minors, but Susana could likely make an immediate impact in the majors if he got fast-tracked as a reliever. Improving his command and refining his changeup will be Susana's main goals in 2025 after he posted a 4.34 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and eye-popping 157:48 K:BB through 103.2 innings last season split between Single-A and High-A.
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Nationals' Juan Yepez: Focusing on third base this spring
Yepez has been working out mostly at third base early on in spring training, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Yepez played third base a lot in the minors and made three starts there with the Cardinals back in 2022, but that was the last time he saw any action at the position in a game setting. Third base is the only position for the Nationals that doesn't currently appear to have a starter locked in, so it's worth tracking this spring to see if Yepez continues seeing reps there. That said, it's a long shot that he'll be entrusted as a regular at the hot corner given his defensive limitations.
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Nationals' Jorge Lopez: Healthy, remains in mix for saves
Lopez (groin) completed a live batting practice session Monday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Lopez is facing no limitations this spring after a right groin strain kept him on the injured list for the final week of the 2024 season. Before getting shut down, Lopez accrued a 2.89 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 50:19 K:BB over 53 innings between stops with the Mets and Cubs, with his strong finish to the season earning him a one-year, $3 million deal in free agency with the Nationals. With Washington non-tendering last season's closer, Kyle Finnegan, earlier in the offseason, the back end of the bullpen is unsettled, but manager Dave Martinez reiterated earlier this week that Lopez and Jose Ferrer will likely be the leading candidates to pick up saves if the Nationals don't bring aboard a more proven closer before Opening Day. "Ferrer will get an opportunity to close as well," Martinez told Zuckerman. "Right now, we're going to play matchups. But if Lopez is available, he can do it." With Ferrer being the left-handed option of the two, the right-handed Lopez could have the inside track to see a higher volume of save opportunities.
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Nationals' MacKenzie Gore: Getting nod for spring opener
Gore will start Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against the Astros, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
Manager Dave Martinez hasn't yet tipped his hand regarding his Opening Day starter, but Gore remains the most likely candidate, with Jake Irvin also an option. Gore will look to take another step forward in 2025 after the 25-year-old southpaw posted a career-best 3.90 ERA last season, along with a 1.42 WHIP and 181:65 K:BB over 166.1 innings.
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Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Could factor into closing picture
Manager Dave Martinez said earlier this week that Ferrer remains a candidate to save games for the Nationals along with Jorge Lopez, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. "As I said earlier, Ferrer will get an opportunity to close as well," Martinez said. "Right now, we're going to play matchups. But if Lopez is available, he can do it."
The back end of the Washington bullpen is in flux heading into Opening Day, after the Nationals elected to non-tender Kyle Finnegan in November coming off a 38-save season. Washington brought in Lopez over the winter on a one-year, $3 million deal, and based on Martinez's comments, Lopez -- who saved 23 games in 2022 between stops with the Orioles and Twins -- looks to be the preferred option in what could be a two-pronged approach at closer. Ferrer, meanwhile, has just one career save to his name, but he was one of Washington's top relievers in 2024 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 25:6 K:BB in 32 innings. As the southpaw option of the two relievers, Ferrer could be the choice over Lopez for save situations that arise when the Nationals face lefty-heavy lineups in the ninth inning.
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Nationals' Mason Thompson: Goes on 60-day injured list
The Nationals placed Thompson (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
Manager Dave Martinez indicated previously that Thompson had a chance to be ready in time for Opening Day following Tommy John surgery last March. However, the club has elected to proceed cautiously with the reliever, who is now ineligible to return until late May. Thompson's removal from the 40-man roster clears a spot for the newly-signed Lucas Sims.
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Nationals' Lucas Sims: Joins club on MLB deal
Sims agreed Wednesday with the Nationals on a one-year, $3 million deal, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
After non-tendering Kyle Finnegan following a 38-save season in 2024, Washington's bullpen is unsettled, so Sims might have the opportunity to earn a high-leverage role if he impresses during the spring. The 31-year-old owns a 26.9 percent strikeout rate over 306 career innings, but a similarly high walk rate (12.1 percent) has thus far prevented him from gaining a full-time look as a closer. He's notched just 12 saves over parts of eight big-league seasons.
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Nationals' James Wood: Nursing quad tendinitis
Wood was held out of outfield drills Tuesday due to left quad tendinitis, Andrew Golden of The Washington Postreports.
Wood took batting practice Tuesday and also ran the bases a bit, so this doesn't look to be anything to be overly concerned about. It's possible the Nationals will hold Wood out of their first few Grapefruit League games or limit him to designated-hitter duty just to be safe. Wood is slated to be the Nationals' everyday left fielder in 2025.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: Expected to hit second
Crews projects to be Washington's No. 2 hitter this season, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Crews made 17 starts at leadoff hitter and six starts in the No. 2 spot last year, in addition to some starts further down the lineup. However, with CJ Abrams expected to lead off, Crews projects to hit second. While Crews is a good hitting prospect, it's his stolen-base potential that is so alluring for 2025, as he stole 12 bases in 31 games last year and his 5.6 percent attempt rate ranked seventh in the majors, per Statcast.
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2024 Team Statistical Rankings
| Avg | R | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team |
.243 (15th) |
660 (25th) |
135 (29th) |
4.30 (23rd) |
Injuries
| Player | Injury |
|---|---|
| J. Wood OF James Wood OF | Quadriceps |
| J. Gray SP Josiah Gray SP | Elbow |
| C. Henry SP Cole Henry SP | Undisclosed |
| M. Thompson RP Mason Thompson RP | Elbow |
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