Washington Nationals News

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Dylan Crews • CF • Nationals

Dylan Crews Extends Hitting Streak, Remains a Priority Waiver Wire Target?

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews currently owns a five-game hitting streak, and he has already emerged as an intriguing waiver wire target in fantasy baseball leagues despite being called up from Triple-A just 10 days ago. In eight games since his promotion, Crews is slashing .242/.265/.364 with one home run, one stolen base, a 2.9% walk rate, a 20.6% strikeout rate, and 75 wRC+. Those numbers aren't great, but he has reached base in all eight of those contests, and he has a hit in seven of the eight. This type of consistency makes him an intriguing waiver wire addition, especially in deeper leagues. He's available for most managers, too, as he's rostered in just 20% of fantasy baseball leagues. It's a low-risk move for managers, and it could pay off as Crews continue to play (and hit the ball well) just about every day.

21 hours ago

Cade Cavalli • SP • Nationals

Cade Cavalli Emerging as a Must-Add Starting Pitcher

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli put forth another strong effort on Tuesday, allowing one run and striking out seven across six innings of work in his team's win over the Cleveland Guardians. Across 59 2/3 innings (12 starts) this season, Cavalli has posted a 3-3 record with a 3.62 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 68 strikeouts. He's been particularly effective of late, recording 24 strikeouts over his last 19 1/3 innings pitched (three starts). Cavalli's inflated WHIP could be a symptom of bad luck as well, as opposing batters are currently posting an unsustainably high .361 batting average on balls in play against him. Heading into his next scheduled start against the Miami Marlins on Monday, Cavalli profiles as a prime waiver wire target with upside.

2 days ago

Yohandy Morales • 3B • Nationals

Yohandy Morales Stays Hot, Emerges as a Top Hitter to Stash

Washington Nationals corner infield prospect Yohandy Morales continues to rake for Triple-A Rochester, collecting at least two hits in four of his last five contests, raising his season-long slash line to a sizzling .355/.431/.587 with 10 home runs. The Nats' 28th-ranked prospect hit well at Double-A last season, but batted just .249 with a 30.3 percent strikeout rate in 95 games at Triple-A in 2025. However, he's cut the strikeout rate down to 24.4 percent in 2026. The 6-foot-3 slugger owns a 92.6 percent average exit velocity(EV) this season (92nd percentile) and a max EV of 113.1 mph (93rd percentile), so there is some legitimate pop in his bat. A debut could happen in the coming weeks, so managers looking for power should give him a look, and there could be solid counting stats to follow while hitting in a surprisingly potent Washington lineup (5.42 runs/game ranks No. 1 in MLB). Eligibility at both 1B and 3B on Yahoo! add to his fantasy appeal.

3 days ago

Curtis Mead • 1B • Nationals

Curtis Mead Records First Career Multi-Homer Game in Win Over Guardians

Washington Nationals infielder Curtis Mead had a career night on Monday in the team's 10-2 win over the hosting Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, going 2-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, and a strikeout. It was Mead's first career multi-home run in his fourth year in the big leagues. The 25-year-old Australian came into Monday's series opener in Cleveland with a .234/.351/.441 slash line, .793 OPS, only five home runs, 17 RBI, 20 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 39 games across 131 plate appearances in his first year with the Nats. Mead is hitting a very modest .241/.353/.491 on the season with seven home runs now, but he has been displaying more power of late, going deep three times in the last three games. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Mead to keep it up, as he never had more than three round-trippers in a single season before 2026. He's primarily useful in NL-only leagues, mainly for his eligibility at first, second, and third base. Mead is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues.

4 days ago

Dylan Crews • CF • Nationals

Dylan Crews Homers Saturday, Worth Adding in Deeper Fantasy Leagues?

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a strikeout on Saturday. He has appeared in just five big-league games so far, going 4-for-20 with one walk, four strikeouts, and a steal. Previously, he had slashed .258/.345/.432 with five homers and seven steals across 41 Triple-A games. The results at the plate haven't been great since his promotion to the majors (or in years past), but Saturday's homer could be a sign that he's tapping into some more power going forward. We know that he has above-average power upside, as he launched 10 homers across 85 games last year. Hitting homers at a similar rate in 2026 could be enough to keep him on the fantasy radar consistently. As it stands, he's rostered in approximately 21% of fantasy baseball leagues.

6 days ago

Jake Irvin • SP • Nationals

Jake Irvin Exits Early on Saturday With Undisclosed Injury

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin (undisclosed) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's start against the Atlanta Braves. This is a shame because Irvin was dealing before making his exit from the contest. He took the mound to warm up for the sixth inning, but didn't look right and eventually exited with the trainer. Before that, Irvin tossed five hitless innings, allowing one walk while striking out seven batters. The Nationals should give an update on his status following Saturday's contest. This was Irvin's second straight strong outing, so hopefully he won't be forced to miss time from this injury.

6 days ago

Foster Griffin • SP • Nationals

Foster Griffin a Waiver-Wire Target in Anticipation of Bounce-Back?

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin has hit a bit of a skid lately, but the underlying metrics suggest that he's a bounce-back candidate, which bodes well for his rest-of-season fantasy outlook. Griffin has allowed 14 earned runs over his last 9.1 innings of work, but he has still maintained a solid 4.02 ERA across 10 starts. More importantly, he has a 3.84 xFIP with 8.68 K/9 and 2.89 BB/9 so far. Home runs have been his kryptonite to this point; allowing 1.61 HR/9 is a primary reason why he's been roughed up lately. He allowed just 0.12 HR/9 in the NPB last year, so fantasy managers should be optimistic that he'll crack down on loud contact sooner rather than later. He has hung around as the #76 starter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings, and he's a solid waiver wire option as he remains available in 60% of leagues.

May 21

Nasim Nuñez • 2B • Nationals

Nasim Nunez Emerging as Elite Speed Threat for Nationals

Washington Nationals infielder Nasim Nunez continued his breakout season on the bases Monday, stealing his 20th base of the year and tying Jose Ramirez for the MLB lead. The 25-year-old has been caught stealing just twice and continues to create pressure whenever he reaches base. Nunez owns a 29.8 mph sprint speed, which ranks in the 99th percentile across MLB and highlights the elite speed tool driving his production. While he is slashing just .196/.304/.217 this season, his 13.0 BB% has helped him generate additional opportunities on the base paths. Fantasy managers in need of steals should continue targeting Nunez as he establishes himself as one of baseball's premier stolen base threats.

May 20

Brady House • 3B • Nationals

Brady House Optioned to Triple-A

Washington Nationals third baseman Brady House was optioned to Triple-A on Monday in the corresponding move that brought outfielder Dylan Crews back to the MLB roster. House has seven homers in his 44 games with a .227 batting average and .302 wOBA. House had a 43% hard-hit rate and 10.5% barrel rate, and his BABIP of .280 was below league-average. Some of his lower numbers were tough luck, but he also did have a 28.2% strikeout rate. He's always been a high-strikeout, high-homer prospect, but his defense has dropped off significantly this season. He seemed to be trending up lately, but the team may want him to get more full-time work in Triple-A while they fill in with Jorbit Vivas and Jose Tena in the majors. At this point, House is droppable in almost all formats, although he does have power upside if he gets another call later in the season.

May 19

Dylan Crews • CF • Nationals

Dylan Crews on Verge of Returning to Nats, Worth a Waiver-Wire Pickup?

The Washington Nationals are expected to recall outfielder Dylan Crews from Triple-A Rochester as early as Tuesday, a source familiar with the decision told Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports. Crews was demoted to Rochester at the end of spring training, but he is on the verge of returning to the big leagues after hitting .258 (40-for-155) with five home runs, 10 doubles, a triple, 20 RBI, seven stolen bases, and 30 runs scored in 41 games across 177 plate appearances for Rochester this year. In 14 games in May, though, he has hit .291/.339/.527 with two homers and seven doubles. The plan was already in place before outfielder Jacob Young (rib cage) was forced from Monday's game early after being hit by a pitch in the left rib cage. Young could be forced to the 10-day injured list to account for the corresponding roster move for Crew's promotion. The 24-year-old former second overall pick in 2023 out of LSU has been a disappointment in his 116 games in the majors so far, slashing .211/.282/.352 with a .634 OPS, 13 homers, 35 RBI, 29 steals, 35 walks, and 102 strikeouts in 454 plate appearances. But his draft pedigree alone makes Crews an interesting waiver-wire pickup, and he's currently rostered in only 32% of Yahoo leagues.

May 18

Cade Cavalli • SP • Nationals

Cade Cavalli Should be Drawing More Attention on the Waiver Wire

Washington Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli won his second game of the 2026 season on Saturday in the team's 13-3 blowout win over the Baltimore Orioles. Cavalli picked up his third quality start of the year by allowing three earned runs on eight hits (two home runs) while walking none and striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings pitched. The home runs that the 27-year-old allowed were the first of the season for him. He threw 68 of his 96 pitches for strikes. Cavalli has now struck out at least eight batters in three of his last five starts. In back-to-back outings against the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets on May 23 and May 29, Cavalli had 20 total strikeouts with only four earned runs in 11 innings. After his performance over the weekend against Baltimore, the former first-rounder in 2020 out of Oklahoma sits at 2-2 on the year with a 4.05 ERA (3.37 FIP) and 1.54 WHIP with 52 strikeouts and 18 walks in 46 2/3 innings across his 10 starts for the Nats. He has a rematch against the division-rival Mets in his next outing, making him a clear streaming option for fantasy managers, even though the Mets have picked things up of late.

May 18

Gus Varland • RP • Nationals

Gus Varland the Preferred Option For Saves in Washington?

Washington Nationals 29-year-old right-hander Gus Varland is having a decent 2026 season with a 4.32 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with four saves in six save opportunities to go along with five holds on the season. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Varland is not always used late in games solely to close; at times, he has been deployed in higher-leverage situations in the eighth or seventh inning rather than guaranteed the ninth inning with the lead on the line. Varland has never been in situations where he has closed out games in his three-year MLB career, and if he hopes to keep the role, he needs to pitch a bit better and allow fewer base runners, evident by his high WHIP. All that said, during a season when Riley O'Brien is leading MLB in save opportunities, injuries, and underperforming closers, saves have been hard to come by in category leagues. In deeper fantasy leagues, Varland should be viewed as the top option in Washington and an add in deeper formats.

May 18

Keibert Ruiz • C • Nationals

Keibert Ruiz Seeing the Ball Well in May, Drives in Five on Saturday

Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz had yet another strong performance at the plate in May in the team's 13-3 blowout win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night in D.C. Ruiz finished the game 3-for-5 with a career-high five RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base to continue his hot-hitting ways since the calendar flipped from April to May. The 27-year-old Venezuelan backstop continued to disappoint offensively in April, going 8-for-45 (.178) with no home runs, four doubles, six RBI, two runs scored, one walk, and seven strikeouts in 17 games across 47 plate appearances. But so far in eight games in May, he's been a different hitter, batting .323 with three home runs, five doubles, and 11 RBI in his last 31 at-bats to boost his season average to .230 and his OPS to .715. Ruiz's three-hit showing on Saturday was his second of the month already. Something appears to be clicking for the switch-hitter, but fantasy managers have every right to be skeptical that it will last. He's still rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues.

May 17

Foster Griffin • SP • Nationals

Foster Griffin a Trade Candidate for Nationals?

Washington Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin, who signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract in the offseason, has been one of the best offseason moves so far in baseball. FanSided's Robert Murray writes that Griffin could be a trade candidate ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, or he could be a candidate for a long-term extension, although sources say there haven't been any talks about a potential long-term deal. The 31-year-old southpaw currently has a sharp 2.12 ERA through his first eight starts of the 2026 season for a Nationals team that is currently two games under .500 (20-22). Griffin could be the latest left-hander to cash in on a long-term deal in his first season after coming from Japan. The former first-rounder by the Kansas City Royals in 2014 has allowed more than three earned runs in just one of his starts this year and has given up one earned run on nine hits (one homer) while walking seven and striking out 20 in 20 innings over his last three starts. Despite pitching at hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark on Thursday, Griffin will be an enticing streamer against a Reds team that ranks 25th in baseball in OPS (.684). Griffin is rostered in under 70% of Yahoo leagues right now.

May 14

Daylen Lile • LF • Nationals

Daylen Lile Extends Hitting Streak With Two-Homer Outburst

Washington Nationals outfielder Daylen Lile is heating up and extended his hitting streak to five games in the team's 10-4 win over the hosting Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. Lile went 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and four RBI. The 23-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder's homers came off Brady Singer in the fourth inning and reliever Luis Mey in the fifth frame. His home runs snapped a drought of 16 straight games with a long ball. During his current five-game hitting streak, the 23-year-old has gone 8-for-19 (.421) with two homers, two doubles, five RBI, and two runs scored to boost his season slash line to .264/.331/.423 in 163 at-bats. Lile is now up to five homers on the season and has added 19 RBI, 26 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 41 games played. He hasn't been excellent this year, but Lile could be turning a corner in mid-May.

May 13

James Wood • RF • Nationals

James Wood a Reliable Source of Elite Raw Power

Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood is only 23 years old, but he's already one of the best sources of raw power production in the big leagues. The 6-foot-6, 234-pounder was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his first full year in the majors despite leading the league with 221 strikeouts in 689 plate appearances. He hit 31 homers, drove in 94 runs, and even stole 15 bases in 157 games. So far in 41 games in 2026, the former second-round selection by the San Diego Padres in 2021 has gone 38-for-156 (.244) with 11 home runs, 11 doubles, 28 RBI, 35 runs scored, seven stolen bases, a league-leading 35 walks, and 60 strikeouts across 41 games and 194 plate appearances. Wood is hitting .265 (9-for-34) with a homer, four doubles, four RBI, five runs, and two steals in nine games so far in May and remains a must-start in all traditional fantasy formats as a high-upside power bat with excellent on-base skills. He currently ranks in the 99th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 97th percentile in walk rate, which is a recipe for success long term.

May 12

Gus Varland • RP • Nationals

Gus Varland Looking to Rebound After Rough Stretch in Washington

Washington Nationals right-hander Gus Varland has struggled in recent outings, posting a 7.11 ERA across his last seven appearances. His season ERA has climbed to 4.80 during his first year in Washington, and his role in the back end of the bullpen may begin to shrink. Varland is still 4-for-6 in save opportunities and has added four holds this season, showing the confidence the Nationals coaching staff initially placed in him during high-leverage situations. The 28-year-old is now on his fourth MLB organization after not appearing in a major league game during 2025. Varland will need to limit damage more consistently if he hopes to maintain a steady role in the struggling Nationals bullpen.

May 10

Luis García Jr. • 1B • Nationals

Luis Garcia Jr. Still on the Bench on Friday Against Marlins

Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. (wrist) remains out for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Miami Marlins, according to MLB.com. Curtis Mead will make another start at first base and will bat second against Marlins rookie left-hander Robby Snelling, who is making his major-league debut. Garcia will miss a fourth straight game due to a wrist/hand sprain. He said earlier this week that he would avoid a trip to the injured list, but that could change quickly if he cannot return to the field this weekend in Miami. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder is not a must-hold in fantasy leagues while he tries to overcome his wrist injury. In his first 107 at-bats this year, Garcia has 25 hits (.234 average) with just one home run, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Mead is a low-upside DFS sleeper in the two-hole. He's gone 4-for-19 (.211) in six games in May and is hitting just .220 on the year in a part-time role for the Nats.

May 8

CJ Abrams • SS • Nationals

CJ Abrams has Grand Night, Continues to Hit the Ball Hard

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams has been punishing baseballs this year, and that continued in the team's 15-2 blowout win over the visiting Minnesota Twins. Abrams went 3-for-5 at the plate with a grand slam, two doubles, five RBI, and two runs scored to boost his season average to .299 and his OPS to .960. The 25-year-old hit the second grand slam of his career in the bottom of the eighth inning. The 25-year-old former sixth overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2019 now has a .401 on-base percentage in 36 games this year and has added nine home runs, a league-high 33 RBI, seven stolen bases, and 21 runs scored across 152 plate appearances. Abrams has been even better of late, going 12-for-30 (.400) with two home runs, three doubles, 12 RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases in eight games since April 28. Keep riding his hot bat while it lasts.

May 7

Luis García Jr. • 1B • Nationals

Luis Garcia Jr. Still Out for Series Finale Against Twins

Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. (wrist) remains sidelined for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Minnesota Twins, according to MLB.com. Curtis Mead is making yet another start at first base and will bat third for the Nats against Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. Garcia said he will avoid a trip to the injured list with what is being called a minor right wrist sprain, but if he's unable to return for this weekend's series against the division-rival Miami Marlins, that could change. This will be his third straight missed game. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder merely offers infield depth to fantasy managers in deeper leagues. He's currently hitting .234 (25-for-107) with one home run, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 33 games played. Mead has four long balls in 78 at-bats, but he's also batting just .218 at the plate. The Australian has gone hitless in just two career at-bats against Woods Richardson.

May 7

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