Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals prized rookie outfielder Dylan Crews made his MLB debut in Monday's series opener against the New York Yankees, and it didn't go as well as he probably would've hoped.

The 2023 No. 2 draft pick didn't muster a hit as the Nationals suffered a 5-2 loss at home against the Yankees, who improved to 78-54. Crews' final stat line is as follows:

• D. Crews: 0/3, BB, K

Crews' first at-bat against Yankees starter Nestor Cortes ended with a flyout to right field on a 1-0 pitch. He later faced a test in right field in the fourth inning when D.J. LeMahieu flew out to right with Anthony Volpe tagging, but his throw was slightly off the mark as Volpe scored.

Dylan Crews' first real test in right field was a throw to the plate on a tagging Anthony Volpe. Strong throw, just a bit to the first base side, with Keibert Ruiz having to dive back to attempt the tag a smidge too late. Nats down 2-0.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) August 26, 2024

Dylan Crews has gotten back-to-back fly balls hit to him. On the second out, he made a good throw home but was slightly off to the first base side. Anthony Volpe scored from third and the Yankees lead 2-0.

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) August 26, 2024

Dylan Crews' throw home is strong but not quite on target. Sac fly for DJ LeMahieu gives the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the fourth.

— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) August 26, 2024

In the bottom half of the inning, Crews reached base for the first time in his major league career by drawing a walk. It was the first walk Cortes surrendered in his last 17 innings pitched. Fans on social media celebrated the rookie's first trip to first base:

close enough DYLAN CREWS WALK off pic.twitter.com/6htCoqJPHf

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 27, 2024

#Nationals rookie Dylan Crews reached his first major league bag via a walk. Nats Park loves it. pic.twitter.com/C5SrNKNwN6

— Natalie Spala (@_nataliespala) August 26, 2024

Dylan Crews has a .500 OBP pic.twitter.com/IzxdtaqjXd

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) August 26, 2024

Dylan Crews walk. GOOOOAT

— P (@peyroll) August 26, 2024

Unfortunately, Crews didn't last long as James Wood grounded into a fielder's choice. Wood was then caught in a double play after a sensational catch by Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge:

AARON JUDGE WITH THE DOUBLE PLAY 😱 🤯

(via @Yankees)
pic.twitter.com/yOfLgDsKeb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 27, 2024

Crews had a chance to bring Washington back into the game when he came to the plate in the sixth inning with runners on second and third and the team trailing 4-0. He worked a 3-1 count against Cortes but whiffed on back-to-back fastballs to go down swinging for the first time as a major leaguer.

Dylan Crews' first at-bat with RISP ends in a strikeout. He did stay off the balls out of the zone and took hacks within the zone, so still showed an impressive eye.

— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) August 27, 2024

Dylan Crews got himself into a 3-1 count with runners on second and third but swung through two fastballs in the zone from Nestor Cortes for his first MLB strikeout.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) August 27, 2024

The 22-year-old came to the plate for the final time in the eighth inning against Yankees reliever Jake Cousins. After falling behind 0-2, he worked the count back to even. However, he ended up grounding out to first base, ending his night in lackluster fashion.

Barring a 9th inning rally, Dylan Crews will go 0-for-3 with a walk, a strikeout, a flyout and a groundout in his MLB debut.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) August 27, 2024

Dylan crews 💔

— ໊ (@PapiGing) August 27, 2024

Crews showed good patience during his at-bats, and he made good contact here and there. He's not the first highly-touted rookie to go hitless in his MLB debut, and he certainly won't be the last.

Crews will have another shot to impress the home fans on Tuesday when the Nationals (59-73) try to bounce back against the Yankees.

Dylan Crews will be donning a Nationals uniform in 2024.

Grant Paulson of 1067 The Fan reported that Crews is "expected to be called up" for the Nationals game against the New York Yankees on Monday.

Sources: Nationals top prospect Dylan Crews is expected to be called up to make his MLB debut in DC on Monday night against the Yankees.

Crews and Wood, together at Nationals Park for the first time, opposing Juan Soto and the Yankees.

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) August 23, 2024

Crews is the Nationals top prospect and is the No. 3 overall prospect in MLB. He was the No. 2 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft behind Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes.

The @Nationals are reportedly expected to call up @MLBPipeline's No. 3 overall prospect Dylan Crews on Monday for his MLB debut, per https://t.co/Z3s2EpgF39's @JessicaCamerato. pic.twitter.com/nYo7eaylgR

— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2024

Crews joins Skenes, Wyatt Langford and Nolan Schanuel as early risers from the 2023 MLB Draft. He is hitting .272/.343/.456 with 13 home runs and 68 RBIs in 99 games between AA and AAA in 2024.

He played collegiately at LSU alongside Skenes and helped lead the Tigers to a College World Series championship in 2023. He won the Golden Spikes Award and was a two-time All-American during his time at LSU.

He joins James Wood as notable Nationals prospects to get the call-up during the 2024 season. Wood is hitting .289/.379/.458 with five home runs and 30 RBIs for Washington in 2024.

The Nationals are 58-70 and sit in fourth place in the NL East. Still, Crews and Wood show a bright future for the franchise and his debut will come against former franchise face Juan Soto.

Minor-league outfield prospect James Wood has been called up by the Washington Nationals and will make his Major League debut Monday against the New York Mets.

get ready to learn washingtonian, buddy

→ https://t.co/YgV6xqyGOg pic.twitter.com/iK8aXTRNBY

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 1, 2024

Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan first reported on Friday that Wood would be called up.

Wood, who is slashing .346/.458/.578 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI and 10 stolen bases across 51 games in Triple-A this season, is rated the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball by MLB.com.

The San Diego Padres selected Wood in the second round of the 2021 MLB draft before trading him to Washington in 2022 as part of the blockbuster deal for Juan Soto.

That trade didn't pay dividends for the Padres, as they traded Soto to the New York Yankees this past offseason after being unable to reach a long-term contract extension.

Now, the Nats are hopeful they have their next Soto in the form of Wood, who has quickly risen through the minor leagues.

At 6'7", the 21-year-old Wood will instantly be one of the tallest players in Major League Baseball, and he has plenty of power to go along with it.

Last season, Wood appeared in 129 games across A-ball and Double-A, hitting 26 home runs, while driving in 91, stealing 18 bases and hitting .262.

Wood has taken his game to a new level this season, though, as he has arguably been the most complete hitter across every minor-league level.

He has nearly as many walks as strikeouts with 39 bases on balls compared to just 41 strikeouts, and if he can maintain that level of discipline, he has a chance to be an instant star at the MLB level.

After posting losing records in each of the past four seasons, including a 55-107 mark in 2022, it can be argued that the Nats are performing above expectations this season with a 38-42 record.

In fact, Washington is only three games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League, so calling up Wood is a move that could keep them in playoff contention.

It is unclear where Wood will slot into the Nationals' lineup, but with Lane Thomas, Jesse Winker and Joey Meneses serving as Washington's Nos. 2 through 4 hitters recently, it is perhaps a safe bet that Wood will supplant one of them and move them further down the batting order.

The Washington Nationals have reportedly received interest from rival teams regarding trades for pitchers Kyle Finnegan and Hunter Harvey and outfielder Lane Thomas.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the Nationals are not considered sellers at this point as they're currently tied for the final NL Wild Card spot. However, trade talks could ramp up if Washington starts to fall out of contention before the deadline.

Finnegan, 32, is in the midst of a career-best season. He's posted a 1.78 ERA and 0.86 ERA while striking out 31 batters in 30.1 innings pitched. Headed for arbitration after the 2024 season, Finnegan could be in line for a sizable raise from his $5.1 million salary.

Harvey has been one of the Nationals' most consistent relievers over his three years with the team. He has a 2.75 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while striking out 41 batters in 33 appearances, his third straight season below a 3.00 ERA. The 29-year-old is also set to hit arbitration this winter ahead of free agency in 2026.

Thomas, in his third season as a fixture in the Nationals outfield, has seen his stats downtick from his career-best 2023. He's hitting .238/.299/.402 with seven home runs and 23 runs batted in while also stealing 16 bases. The 28-year-old is on pace to break his career high of 20 steals set last season, but he's also consistently struck out at the plate while rarely drawing walks.

Thomas is making $5.5 million this season ahead of arbitration in 2025.

As Stephen Strasburg prepares for his life in retirement, he still has some feelings to work through about his career.

The Washington Nationals former ace pitcher is currently in the process of moving away from his former home and relocating to San Diego as he prepares for his post-playing career. While he is looking forward to this new chapter, he did acknowledge the "inner turmoil" and feelings of failure that come with the lackluster end of his career.

"When you're dealing with a lot of emotions and inner turmoil, to where it's like — I wouldn't say I was really beating myself up, but I didn't feel good about it," Strasburg said, per Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. "I felt like I — you know, I failed. I didn't accomplish what was asked of me."

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Strasburg did experience significant levels of success in his career. The 2009 No. 1 pick compiled an overall record of 113-61, was a three-time All-Star and won the 2019 World Series MVP after guiding the Nationals to its first championship in franchise history.

His performance in that 2019 postseason was epic. He went 5-0 overall, including a 2-0 record with a 2.51 ERA in the World Series alone. He threw 36.1 innings total in the postseason, which came after he went 18-6 in the regular season and he was rewarded for this with a new seven-year, $245 million contract.

It wouldn't be necessarily fair to say he underperformed that contract, as he truly never got the chance. He only made eight more appearances for Washington after signing that contract due to injuries and eventually retired due to his inability to stay healthy.

He said that not fulfilling that contract has significantly weighed on him.

"You can say contract, whatever," Strasburg said, per Svrluga. "But it was more like: This was the expectation, and this is what I had in my mind. I worked my butt off, and it's like, I got to the point where I couldn't do any more, and it just wasn't attainable. That really wears on your psyche."

While his career was not given the chance to reach the significant heights he and Washington hoped for, he still did get the chance to have his moment and fulfill the goal of bringing the Nationals a World Series.

Joey Gallo of the Washington Nationals is going to be a father.

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis is not.

TMZ Sports reported Gallo and Hayden Hopkins are expecting a child. The reveal follows "erroneous reports" that said Hopkins was having a child with Davis, who she was seen sitting by during a Raiders game in 2022.

Hopkins took to social media and said, "Reports of Mark Davis being the father of my child are wildly untrue. … These continued media stories are negatively affecting what should be my happiest days. Joey and I are excited to welcome our baby in the fall."

pic.twitter.com/ZX2key8V9d

— Hayden Hopkins (@haydenhopkins) May 27, 2024

She also explained she was simply a guest with friends when she was sitting in the owner's box.

TMZ noted she was also visiting Davis' suite in part because of her work with the Raiders' dance squad and long-standing relationships with people in the organization.

As for Gallo, he has been in the major leagues since 2015 with stops on the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and Nationals. Washington signed him to a one-year deal ahead of the 2024 campaign, and he has appeared in 33 games this year.

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg announced his retirement Sunday, saying injuries "no longer allow" him to perform at a Major League level.

Here is a statement from Stephen Strasburg on retiring. pic.twitter.com/BltKfJ1OZR

— Barry Svrluga (@barrysvrluga) April 7, 2024

Strasburg started only eight games since winning the 2019 World Series MVP due to arm issues. He has been dealing with nerve issues related to thoracic outlet syndrome, preventing him from pitching without pain.

The Nationals are on the hook for $105 million over the next three seasons. Because Strasburg's contract was uninsured, the team will have to eat the entire cost of the deal.

Strasburg was expected to retire last year officially, but he and the team could not reach terms on how his contract would be paid out. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Strasburg agreed to certain deferrals for his payment, though details on that deal have not been confirmed.

Strasburg is already scheduled to receive $26.5 million in deferred money in 2027, 2028 and 2029. The 35-year-old finishes his career with a 113-62 record, posting a 3.24 ERA and 1,723 strikeouts.

Washington Nationals ace starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who helped lead the 2019 team to its lone World Series title, has called it a career.

Per Andrew Golden of the Washington Post, the Nationals' transaction page listed Strasburg as retired on Saturday.

Strasburg will still be paid the $105 million still owed to him from his seven-year, $245 million contract, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Strasburg played 13 MLB seasons (2010-2012), making three All-Star games and winning the 2019 World Series MVP award after earning a pair of victories against the Houston Astros.

The former San Diego State star entered the bigs as one of the most hyped pitching prospects in recent memory.

The Nats selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLB draft. One year later, Strasburg struck out 14 Pittsburgh Pirates in his major league debut.

Strasburg went 113-62 with a 3.24 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 10.5 K/9 rate over his career. The three-time All-Star also earned 2019 World Series MVP honors en route to helping lead the Nats to their lone championship in franchise history.

In addition, Strasburg struck out 200 or more batters on three occasions, including a National League-high 242 in 2014 and a career-high 251 in 2019. He also won a NL-high 18 games in 2019.

Unfortunately, Strasburg dealt with injuries throughout his career. He underwent Tommy John surgery that ended his rookie season early and kept him out for a year. Strasburg only made an average of 24 starts from 2015-2018 as dealt with an assortment of ailments.

Injuries ultimately ended Strasburg's career, as he was held to just eight starts from 2020-2022. In 2021, Strasburg underwent surgery to address neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.

He attempted to return in 2022 but made just one start and didn't look like his usual self, he allowing seven earned runs against the Miami Marlins.

On Feb. 15, 2023, manager Dave Martinez told reporters that Strasburg suffered a setback in his return from thoracic outlet syndrome. Jessica Camerato of MLB.com provided the details.

"Strasburg had been recovering from a stress reaction in his second and third ribs that is related to his thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) surgery. He built up this offseason to throwing bullpens, and he felt good after his first session. After recently throwing a second session, however, he experienced a nerve issue that sidelined him again."

Sadly, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reported in June 2023 that Strasburg was dealing with "severe nerve damage," leading to "increasing doubt" within the team regarding whether he would ever return.

Word emerged in August 2023 that Strasburg planned to retire, although that press conference was postponed.

Nats general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters in February that Strasburg was "not in baseball rehabilitation mode" and that he was "just trying to get his body back into shape where he could live his life."

Strasburg's retirement is seemingly now official, though, ending the great career of a pitcher who was one of the game's aces at his best.

Washington Nationals outfielder prospect Daylen Lile was released from the hospital after being stretchered from the field during a Saturday exhibition game in Fort Myers, Florida, according to ESPN.

Lile underwent a CT scan before being diagnosed with a lower-back contusion, according to manager Davey Martinez and ESPN.

Martinez added that Lile, now considered day-to-day, was "very lucky," according to MASN's Bobby Blanco.

Daylen Lile is out of the hospital and back in West Palm Beach. He’s sore, but all tests were negative and he’s been diagnosed with a lower back contusion.

Davey Martinez said Lile is very lucky and this was the best-case scenario.

— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) March 3, 2024

Lile was attempting to catch a potential home run from Red Sox infielder Tyler Miller when he flipped backwards over the wall at JetBlue Park and landed headfirst. Video shows members of the dugout immediately waving trainers over to check on Lile.

He was then stretchered off in a neck brace, according to Callie Lawson-Freeman of Yahoo Sports.

MLB.com ranked Lile as the Nationals' No. 6 prospect in 2023.

Lile missed the entirety of the prior season due to undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2022. He is projected to have an easier return from his lower back injury. Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post described Lile's injury as "painful, but he will be able to play once the pain subsides."

After Lile was removed from Saturday's game, Nationals finished the final three innings of the spring training game, which ended in a 4-2 loss to the Red Sox.

Martinez said after the game that Lile was able to move his legs and feet immediately after the injury, per MLB.com's CJ Haddad.

❤️ @DaylenLile

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 2, 2024

The Nationals manager also praised Lile for the play that sent him over the wall.

"I know Daylen. That's the way he plays the game," Martinez said. "I actually thought for a second he caught it. He plays the game hard. He plays the game the right way."

Lile, 21, was selected by the Nationals in the second round of the 2021 draft out of the University of Kentucky, higher than his projected No. 80 ranking by MLB.com.

In 106 games played during minor-league stops in Single-A Fredericksburg and High-A Wilmington he batted .269 for nine home runs and 66 RBI in 2023.