Gray (elbow) would like to pitch in the majors this season, even if it's out of the bullpen, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports. "I think that's the goal for this year, to get innings up here, help the team win some games," the right-hander said Monday from the big-league clubhouse.
It's been a long time since Gray was able to make a contribution for the Nationals, as his last major-league action came April 4, 2024. Since then, he's undergone Tommy John surgery in July of that year, endured a lengthy rehab that only began to ramp up last September, and then dealt with a right flexor strain that cropped up this spring. Gray was able to begin a new rehab assignment at Single-A Fredericksburg in mid-August but has been limited to short outings, working his way up to Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday and tossing a shutout inning. It's still not clear if the Nationals have any plans to take him off the 60-day IL and find a spot for him on the 40-man roster before the end of the season, but at the very least Gray seems to be on his way to wrapping up the campaign in good health.