WASHINGTON NATIONALS NEWS

Sean Doolittle - Goes on IL The Nationals placed Doolittle on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a sprained left elbow.

Impact According to Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post, Doolittle informed the Nationals of the injury following his relief appearance in Tuesday's 1-0 win over Arizona. The severity of Doolittle's elbow sprain may not be known until he's sent in for an MRI, but the fact that he's dealing with an arm-related injury likely portends an absence of more than the minimum 10 days. Doolittle had enjoyed a nice start to the 2022 campaign, striking out six over 5.1 scoreless frames while allowing just one baserunner.

APRIL 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Donovan Casey - Sent down Wednesday Casey was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday.

Impact Casey spent just under a week with the major-league club but didn't appear in any games for the Nationals. He'll head back to Rochester, where he hit .250 with a homer, two triples, two doubles, six RBI and four runs in six appearances to begin the season.

APRIL 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Sam Clay - Recalled by Washington Clay was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Impact Clay was sent to the minors ahead of the regular season, and he struck out six in 5.2 scoreless innings in his first five appearances in Rochester. He made 58 relief appearances for the Nationals last year and picked up 11 holds while posting a 5.60 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in 45 innings.

APRIL 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Finnegan - Two holds in Tuesday's twin bill Finnegan picked up a hold in both ends of Tuesday's doubleheader sweep of the Diamondbacks.

Impact After walking one and striking out one in a scoreless eighth inning in the matinee, Finnegan worked a perfect eighth in the nightcap while fanning another Arizona batter. The right-hander now has three holds and a win through six appearances to begin the season with a 4.76 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 6:2 K:BB through 5.2 innings, and should Tanner Rainey falter as the closer -- something he nearly did in the second game Tuesday, as he loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth before escaping the jam -- Finnegan would likely be the next man up for save chances.

APRIL 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Tanner Rainey - Secures third save Rainey collected his third save of the season in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks, giving up two hits and a walk while striking out one in a score...

Impact Called upon to protect a 1-0 lead, Rainey managed to load the bases with nobody out before escaping the jam he'd created. The right-hander has a 0.00 ERA and 4:1 K:BB through four innings to begin the season and has yet to blow a save chance, but Rainey has a long way to go before he should be considered reliable as the Nationals' closer.

APRIL 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Joan Adon - Collects first MLB win Adon (1-2) picked up the win in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks, giving up three hits and two walks over 6.1 scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory....

Impact The young right-hander put together the best start of his big-league career so far, as he didn't allow a runner past second base while tossing 57 of 88 pitches for strikes in his first career win and first quality start. Adon has not has a good beginning to the season overall, posting a 5.87 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 13:9 K:BB through 15.1 innings over three starts, but the Nationals will stick with him in the rotation for now given the 23-year-old's potential.

APRIL 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Josiah Gray - Nabs second win Gray (2-1) picked up the win in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks, giving up one run on three hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out eig...

Impact Daulton Varsho took him deep for a solo shot in the third inning, but otherwise Gray did a good job stifling Arizona's bats. The right-hander threw 50 of 87 pitches for strikes, and while his control so far has been a little shaky, Gray still sports a 3.14 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 18:7 K:BB through his first 14.1 innings this season.

APRIL 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Early returns on César Hernández are strong, but Nationals need more The 31-year-old notched a go-ahead RBI double in both of the team's wins Tuesday.

APRIL 20, 2022 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM

Diamondbacks face the Nationals looking to stop road slide

The Arizona Diamondbacks will attempt to stop their three-game road losing streak in a matchup with the Washington Nationals

APRIL 20, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nats' young starters breathe deeply, get wins WASHINGTON -- One pitch at a time. That’s the emphasis manager Dave Martinez imparts on the Nationals’ starting pitchers, particularly those...

APRIL 20, 2022 • MLB.COM

Yadiel Hernandez - Remains on bench for nightcap Hernandez will sit for the evening portion of Tuesday's twin bill against the Diamondbacks, Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Impact Early in the season, it looked as though Hernandez would start in left field against most righties while Lane Thomas handled the lefties. Hernandez has now sat against three straight righties, however, including both halves of Saturday's doubleheader, so it's possible he's slipping into a bench role. Thomas remains the starter for the nightcap.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Alcides Escobar - Hits bench for evening game Escobar will sit for the second half of Tuesday's doubleheader against Arizona, Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Impact Escobar went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI as the Nationals won the day game by a 6-1 score. Lucius Fox takes over as the shortstop for the nightcap.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Keibert Ruiz - On bench for nightcap Ruiz will sit for the second half of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks, Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Impact Ruiz went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly in the afternoon game. He won't be asked to catch twice in one day, so he'll hit the bench as Riley Adams takes over behind the plate.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Victor Robles takes a step forward as Nationals open doubleheader with win In front of a record-setting small crowd, Robles had a key RBI double as the Nationals beat the Diamondbacks, 6-1.

APRIL 19, 2022 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM

'Hallelujah!' Adon helps Nats sweep doubleheader vs. D-backs

Joan Adon became the first Nationals starter to finish six innings in 2022, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless to help Washington beat the punchless Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0 and sweep a doub...

APRIL 19, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

MLB odds: Dodgers, Astros, Brewers, White Sox lead Divisional futures

MLB is back! With the season in full swing, here is a look at the Divisional odds for both the National League and American League.

APRIL 19, 2022

Joe Ross - Throwing off flat ground Manager Dave Martinez said Tuesday that Ross (elbow) has been throwing off a mound at the Nationals' spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports...

Impact Mark Zuckerman reported April 5 that Ross was throwing from 90 feet, so the right-hander's advancement to mound work two weeks later suggests that he's making decent progress in his rehab program. At the time he underwent the procedure in March to remove a bone spur from his elbow, Ross was projected to require a 6-to-8-week recovery timeline. Now more than five weeks removed from surgery and having yet to resume facing hitters, Ross looks like he'll need more than eight weeks to return to full health, a reality that his placement on the 60-day injured list prior to the season had already supported.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Stephen Strasburg - Not yet facing hitters Washington manager Dave Martinez said Tuesday that Strasburg (thoracic outlet syndrome surgery) remains limited to throwing off a mound and hasn't advanced to facing hitters in liv...

Impact Shortly before Opening Day, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reported that Strasburg was scheduled to face hitters within a week, but the Nationals have seemingly slowed down his rehab timeline. Though the Nationals haven't indicated that Strasburg is experiencing any setbacks in his recovery from the surgery he underwent last July, the organization has reason to proceed cautiously with a pitcher who is in the third season of a seven-year, $245 million contract and has a checkered medical history. Once he's cleared to face hitters, Strasburg will likely need three or four weeks to build up his pitch count through simulated games and/or a minor-league rehab assignment, so he shouldn't be expected to make his 2022 debut for the Nationals until the second half of May at the earliest.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Carter Kieboom - Slow progress from elbow strain Kieboom (elbow) was expected to resume playing light catch last week, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

Impact Nationals manager Dave Martinez hasn't confirmed that Kieboom was cleared to begin a throwing program, but even if that's the case, the 24-year-old still isn't expected to make his 2022 debut for the big club until at least early June after landing on the 60-day injured list March 21. Kieboom's injury to begin the season paved the way for Maikel Franco to break camp as the Nationals' everyday third baseman. Franco has produced a modest .727 OPS through his first 43 plate appearances, but that's probably enough to keep him secure atop the depth chart for now.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ehire Adrianza - Rehab progressing slowly Adrianza (quadriceps) has yet to resume any running workouts or baseball activities since straining his left quadriceps tendon in a March 31 Grapefruit League game, Mark Zuckerman...

Impact The Nationals were initially hopeful that the quad strain would result in a brief stint on the 10-day injured list for Adrianza to begin the season, but three weeks after suffering the injury, the 32-year-old doesn't appear close to a return. Since he hasn't been able to do even light activities, Adrianza is likely at least two weeks away from being ready to play in a game. Adrianza's ongoing absence should allow Lucius Fox to stick around with the big club as a utility infielder.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Francisco Perez - Up as extra man The Nationals will call up Perez from Triple-A Rochester ahead of the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader with Arizona, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Impact Perez will be designated as Washington's 29th man for the twin bill and gives the club an extra left-hander in the bullpen, though he's unlikely to see high-leverage innings. The 24-year-old allowed three runs in 6.2 innings in his MLB debut season for Cleveland in 2021.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Yadiel Hernandez - Sitting first game of doubleheader Hernandez is not in the lineup for Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks, Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Impact Hernandez will take a seat for the third consecutive contest as the Nationals take on left-hander Madison Bumgarner in first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. Lane Thomas will start in left field and bat sixth.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Joan Adon - Starting second game of twin bill Adon is scheduled to start the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Diamondbacks, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Impact After the Nationals' series opener with the Diamondbacks was postponed Monday due to inclement weather, Josiah Gray was pushed back a day in the pitching schedule and will take the hill for the first game of the twin bill. Though Adon will stay on his normal schedule to pitch the nightcap Tuesday, he'll likely be passed over for a second start this week in favor of Gray. With Gray expected to get the ball Sunday against the Giants on his normal four days' rest, Adon is unlikely to make his fourth start of the season until early next week against the Marlins.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Josiah Gray - Starts first game of twin bill Gray is scheduled to start the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Diamondbacks, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Impact After his scheduled start Monday was postponed due to rain in Washington, Gray will get pushed back one day to take the hill during the twin bill. Joan Adon is slated to start the nightcap, which will leave both him and Gray on their normal four days' rest heading into Sunday's home game against the Giants. Expect Gray to pick up his second start of the week that day, while Adon likely won't make his next turn through the rotation until early next week.

APRIL 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

LEADING OFF: Baseball gets 1st 9-inning twinbills since 2019

Tuesday’s baseball schedule will feature two doubleheaders — the first in the majors this season and the first twinbills of nine-inning games since Sept. 28, 2019

APRIL 18, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS