Josiah Gray Feeling Positive After Tommy John Surgery
Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) had Tommy John surgery and an internal-brace procedure on July 24 to fix a partially torn UCL in his right elbow. Ten days after the procedure, Gray said he was feeling positive and will take a day-to-day approach to his long recovery. He has been in the team's clubhouse doing his physical therapy and watching home games from the dugout. Gray was put on the injured list on April 9 (retroactive to April 6) and was moved to the 60-day IL on July 5 to clear a space on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old will miss the remainder of the 2024 season and most likely most, if not all, of next year as well. The former second-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 out of Le Moyne College surrendered 13 earned runs on 15 hits in just 8 1/3 innings over his two starts at the start of this year before landing on the shelf.
Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) has a partial tear of the UCL in his right arm and will have season-ending elbow surgery on Wednesday with Dr. Keith Meister in Texas. Gray said he's unsure if he'll need Tommy John surgery, an internal-brace procedure, or a combination of both. It will depend on how significant the tear is once they cut him open. Either way, the 26-year-old is going to miss the rest of this year and the majority of next season as well. Fantasy managers in single-year setups can now safely drop Gray everywhere. The former second-round selection by the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 out of Le Moyne College had a year to forget in 2024, as he went 0-2 and gave up 13 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings over his two starts before going down with his elbow injury. Gray won't be on the fantasy radar next spring, either.
The Washington Nationals transferred right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) to the 60-day injured list on Friday and selected the contract of first baseman Juan Yepez from Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move. It's been a tough year for Gray in 2024, to say the least. The 26-year-old landed on the IL back in April with a flexor strain in his right elbow and then suffered a setback recently on a minor-league rehab assignment and will be shut down from throwing for a few weeks. Gray won't return to the Nationals until the second half of the season, and an MRI exam around the All-Star break should give us a better idea of when he might be able to return. In just two starts before his injury, Gray was beat up to the tune of 13 earned runs on 15 hits (two homers) while walking five and striking out nine in 8 1/3 innings.
Washington Nationals pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) will receive an MRI after he felt elbow discomfort during a rehab start on Sunday for Triple-A Rochester. Gray said he felt the same level of discomfort that placed him on the injured list in April. He felt more fatigued than usual in his previous start and will undergo more tests to determine the severity of his injury. The 26-year-old is (0-2) with a 14.04 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in only 8 1/3 innings, striking out nine and walking five. The rotation has managed the loss of Gray with the emergence of rookies Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz. UPDATE: Manager Dave Martinez said the team will wait to get an MRI exam on Gray until around the All-Star break.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) is expected to remain with the Rochester Red Wings and make "at least one or two more" minor-league rehab starts in his recovery from a right elbow/forearm flexor strain, manager Dave Martinez said on Wednesday. Gray was sharp in his last appearance, throwing six innings of one-run ball on four hits and no walks with four strikeouts on Tuesday and building up to 73 pitches in the outing. The Nationals are opting for a cautious route with the 26-year-old former All-Star, who has missed much more action than expected with the injury. Gray is still a candidate to rejoin Washington's rotation at some point in early July, barring any setbacks.
Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) will make a minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. Gray threw 79 pitches in his last rehab start last Wednesday and is expected to go six innings or around 90 pitches this time out. And if the 26-year-old doesn't suffer any setbacks with his right elbow, it should be his final rehab start before coming off the injured list and rejoining Washington's starting rotation right before the All-Star break. Gray will have a rotation spot waiting for him in D.C. despite posting a nightmarish 14.04 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in his first two starts of the 2024 season. Given Gray's long layoff, fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting too much when he returns to the big leagues. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues shouldn't completely ignore him, though, after making his first All-Star appearance in 2023.
Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) will make another minor-league rehab start next week, this time with Triple-A Rochester. In his latest rehab start for Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday, Gray got up to 79 pitches and got through five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking three and fanning five. If the 26-year-old makes it out of his next rehab appearance unscathed, it's likely that his next start will come in the big leagues for the Nationals. The former second-rounder in 2018 by the Cincinnati Reds only made two starts before landing on the injured list and went 0-2 with a 14.04 ERA and 2.40 WHIP while striking out nine in 8 1/3 frames. His elbow may have been the culprit, though, so fantasy managers shouldn't completely dismiss him after he made his first All-Star appearance in 2023.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) threw a live bullpen session on Thursday. The 2023 All-Star threw 76 pitches in his session and is another step closer to returning to the big-league club. Gray got lit up in his first two starts of the season before being placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow/forearm flexor strain. Manager Dave Martinez spoke on Wednesday and would like to see Gray have one more bullpen session in the next five days before the club determines the next move. Gray still has some work to be done, but could be a valuable end of the rotation arm in deeper leagues when healthy.
Josiah Gray To Throw Live Batting Practice Saturday
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) will throw a two-inning live batting practice on Saturday. It's been a longer absence than originally anticipated for Gray, who was placed on the 15-day injured list back on April 9 due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain. A May return isn't a reasonable expectation at this stage, as Gray will likely need a handful of minor-league rehab appearance before he rejoins Washington's rotation. Considering the 26-year-old former top prospect has yielded 13 runs over 8 1/3 innings (two starts) in 2024, the club is likely in no hurry to push him back into the fray. Rookie southpaw Mitchell Parker has been a nice surprise for the Nats this year, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 32:8 K:BB across seven starts (38 innings), and he's worth streaming in fantasy in favorable conditions.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) threw another bullpen session on Friday afternoon. He threw his first session on Tuesday. On Friday, he increased his count to 35 pitches compared to his total of 30 earlier in the week. Gray is still just throwing fastballs, but this is a good sign in his recovery process. The 26-year-old threw just eight innings before being placed on the injured list on April 6. Gray still has to begin throwing breaking balls in bullpen sessions before beginning a rehab assignment. There is still no official timetable in place, but with where he is in the recovery process, fantasy managers should not expect Gray back on the mound until June.
Josiah Gray
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Nationals
