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Nationals' Abimelec Ortiz: Powering up at Triple-A
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Ortiz has hit safely in seven straight games for Triple-A Rochester, batting .333 (10-for-30) with seven home runs and 20 RBI during that stretch.
The 24-year-old first baseman is decimating the International League to close out May as he turns things around following a sluggish start to the season. At the end of April, Ortiz carried a .231/.375/.352 slash line with just one homer in 27 games. If he keeps swinging a hot bat, he could slug his way into the Nationals' 1B/DH picture over the summer.
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Nationals' Andrew Alvarez: Set to follow opener Friday
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Alvarez won't start Friday's game against the Padres and is now expected to pitch behind opener Paxton Schultz, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.
Alvarez has provided some length out of the bullpen this season, and he's now set to fill the bulk role Friday after initially being expected to make his first big-league start of 2026. Through four appearances, the 26-year-old lefty has recorded a win, a save and two holds with a 2.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 16:3 K:BB across 12.2 innings.
Schultz will serve as the Nationals' opening pitcher in Friday's game against the Padres, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.
Schultz has performed well overall this season, but his ERA remains inflated at 5.30 through 18.2 frames after giving up six runs to the Mets in a May 18 appearance that lasted just one-third of an inning. He's now set for his first opening assignment of the campaign and is likely to remain in the game for an inning or two before Andrew Alvarez takes over in bulk relief.
The Nationals activated Henry (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list Thursday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.
Henry has been out since mid-April with a right rotator cuff strain. He yielded two runs (one earned) with a 4:1 K:BB over five rehab innings with Triple-A Rochester and averaged 94.1 mph with his four-seamer, which is up a bit from his 93.7 mph average before he got hurt. Henry could work his way into high-leverage spots in the Nationals' bullpen, but he will likely pitch in middle relief initially.
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Nationals' Miles Mikolas: Tough-luck loss in long relief
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Mikolas (1-4) took the loss Wednesday, allowing two unearned runs on five hits over 3.2 relief innings as the Nationals were downed 3-2 by the Guardians. He struck out one without walking a batter.
Handling bulk-relief duties behind opener PJ Poulin, Mikolas put together one of his better performances of the season but was undone in part by a Curtis Mead error in the fifth inning. Mikolas was lifted after 60 pitches (39 strikes), and he's gone consecutive outings without being charged with an earned run. Over five appearances (two starts) in May, he's posted a 2.74 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB in 23 innings. Mikolas will look to stay on track in his next trip to the mound, which is set to come at home early next week against the Marlins.
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Nationals' PJ Poulin: Sent back to Triple-A
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The Nationals optioned Poulin to Triple-A Rochester following Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Guardians.
For the seventh time this season, Poulin served as an opener for Washington during Wednesday's contest. The lefty struck out a batter and gave up no hits and one walk over a scoreless frame before Miles Mikolas took over in bulk relief. Washington didn't announce a corresponding transaction but will add another player to the active roster as a replacement for Poulin prior to Friday's game against the Padres.
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Nationals' Andrew Alvarez: Drawing start Friday
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Alvarez will start Friday's game against the Padres, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.
He's taking the rotation spot vacated by the injured Jake Irvin (shoulder). Alvarez has been terrific in a long-relief role so far for the Nationals, contributing a 2.84 ERA and 16:3 K:BB over 12.2 innings. The left-hander hasn't thrown more than 56 pitches in any of his relief outings this month but exceeded 90 pitches on two occasions at Triple-A Rochester in early May, so Alvarez should be capable of providing some length.
Nationals' Mitchell Parker: Collects multi-inning save
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Parker gave up two runs on three hits and a walk over three relief innings Tuesday to record his first save of the season in a win over the Guardians. He struck out five.
The 26-year-old southpaw actually fulfilled two separate requirements for a save, as he entered the game with the Nationals ahead 4-1 and stayed in the game the rest of the way after they tacked on a couple insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Parker has worked more than one inning in five of seven May appearances, posting a 5.74 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 15:4 K:BB through 15.2 innings with two holds in addition to Tuesday's save, but a lack of reliable bullpen options for Washington could keep him in the high-leverage mix.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Resting up in series finale
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
Ruiz will receive a breather for the day game Wednesday after he caught all nine innings and went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run in the Nationals' 6-3 victory Tuesday night. Drew Millas will step in for Ruiz behind the dish in the series finale.
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Nationals' Dylan Crews: Taking seat Wednesday
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Crews is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
For the first time since being called up from Triple-A Rochester on May 19, Crews will head to the bench while the Nationals go with Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and James Wood as their starters in the outfield and Jose Tena as their designated hitter. Crews has gotten on base in each of his first eight contests with Washington, slashing .242/.265/.364 with a solo home run, a stolen base and an additional run.
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Nationals' Nasim Nunez: Hitting bench Wednesday
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Nunez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
Jorbit Vivas will fill in at second base for Nunez, who went 6-for-30 with a pair of steals, two RBI and three runs while starting in each of the last eight games. Nunez continues to be a drain in batting average (.189 over 164 at-bats) and hasn't hit a home run this season, but his MLB-leading 22 stolen bases have enabled him to maintain fantasy relevance.
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Nationals' Curtis Mead: Making push for full-time role
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Mead will start at third base and bat third in Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
Though he's mainly been used in the short side of a platoon at first base with Luis Garcia this season, Mead has now drawn his last seven starts at the hot corner and looks to have emerged as the preferred option at the position following Brady House's recent demotion to Triple-A Rochester. The Nationals will include Mead in the starting nine for a second straight matchup versus a right-hander (Gavin Williams), after the 25-year-old slugged home runs off righties Tanner Bibee and Matt Festa during Monday's series opener in Cleveland. Altogether, Mead is slashing .235/.355/.479 with seven home runs, three steals, 20 RBI and 22 runs in 141 plate appearances on the season, and he could be worthy of a pickup in fantasy leagues where he's available now that he's seemingly moved into a near-everyday role.
Nationals' Miles Mikolas: Will follow opener Wednesday
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Mikolas is slated to follow an opener Wednesday in Cleveland, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.
PJ Poulin will open the game for the Nationals before Mikolas handles the bulk of the workload. Mikolas has collected a 3.74 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in five bulk relief outings this season, as compared to an 8.28 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in six traditional starts.
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Nationals' PJ Poulin: Another opener assignment
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Poulin will serve as the opening pitcher for the Nationals in Wednesday's game versus the Guardians, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.
Poulin opened the series opener Monday, too, allowing one run on a solo home run in his two innings of work. Miles Mikolas is slated to absorb the bulk of the innings for the Nationals on Wednesday.
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Nationals' James Wood: Big day in Cleveland
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Wood went 3-for-4 with a walk, a two-run home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Guardians.
Getting the start in left field, Wood took Joey Cantillo deep in the second inning -- just his third homer of the season off a southpaw, compared to 11 against right-handed pitching. Wood has racked up three or more hits in four of the last nine games, slashing a blistering .444/.535/.750 over that stretch with two doubles, three long balls, two steals, eight RBI and 10 runs.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Sharp in Tuesday's win
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Cavalli (3-3) picked up the win Tuesday, allowing one run on five hits and two walks over six innings in a 6-3 victory over the Guardians. He struck out seven.
The 27-year-old right-hander delivered his third straight quality start and fifth of the season on 87 pitches (61 strikes). Cavalli has been the Nationals' most reliable starter over the last month and a half, giving up three earned runs or fewer in eight straight trips to the mound while posting a 3.27 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 55:9 K:BB through 44 innings. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Marlins.
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