Player News
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Nunez will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Cubs. Nunez will close the weekend with consecutive starts at shortstop after he went 1-for-3 in Saturday's 5-1 win. With the Nationals optioning CJ Abrams to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Nunez could take on an everyday role in the middle infield during the final week of the regular season.
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Nunez will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Monday's game against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. He'll pick up a fourth consecutive start in place of CJ Abrams, who remains day-to-day with a sore shoulder. Nunez has gone 0-for-8 with a walk and a stolen base over his prior three starts and will likely head back to a reserve role once Abrams is cleared to rejoin the lineup.
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Nunez exited Friday's game against the Angels due to cramps, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports. Nunez was able to limp off the field after laying down a sacrifice bunt in the 10th inning, and the Nationals don't seem to be very concerned about his availability. The 23-year-old went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts while filling in for CJ Abrams, who was scratched from the lineup due to back spasms.
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Nunez is expected to begin the season on the 26-man roster after Trey Lipscomb was reassigned to minor-league camp Tuesday. A Rule 5 pick from the Marlins, Nunez was a favorite to win a bench role when camp began, but Lipscomb's big spring created some uncertainty on how the Nationals would configure their infield. The 23-year-old Nunez stole 52 bases in 59 attempts at Double-A last season but slashed only .224/.341/.286, so he'll likely be limited to pinch-running duties in 2024 if he's able to stick on the big-league roster all year rather than being offered back to Miami.
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Nunez his hitting .282 with a .412 OBP, three home runs and 16 steals in 33 games for Double-A Pensacola. Known for his plus defense at shortstop and plus-plus speed on the bases, Nunez has been a below league average hitter at every stop except one prior to this season. His 131 wRC+ in 154 plate appearances is easily a career best, and his .097 ISO, .412 OBP and 17.5 percent strikeout rate also represent the best marks of his four-season career. If he can get on base enough to make up for his lack of power, Nunez's defense could earn him everyday playing time, in which case he could steal enough bases to be fantasy relevant.