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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Orioles' Thaddeus Ward: Scooped up by Baltimore
The Baltimore Orioles claimed Thad Ward off waivers from the Nationals on Monday, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.Ward, who turns 28 in January, spent all of this season at Triple-A Rochester, posting a 5.64 ERA and 107:94 K:BB over 119.2 innings. He will likely begin 2025 as rotation depth at Triple-A Norfolk.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Sent to Triple-A
The Washington Nationals optioned Thad Ward to Triple-A Rochester on Monday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.Ward spent all of last season on the Nationals' active roster or on the injured list after Washington selected him in the Rule 5 Draft, but his 6.37 ERA and 1.61 WHIP over 35.1 innings out of the bullpen suggested that he wasn't quite big-league ready. Now that he's eligible to be optioned to the minors, Ward could end up spending the bulk of the campaign at Rochester, where he'll be a part of the rotation after he was limited exclusively to relief work in the big leagues in 2023.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Returns from injured list
Thad Ward (shoulder) was activated from the 15-day injured list Thursday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.Ward had been on the shelf since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation. Though the Rule 5 selection had been working in relief for the Washington Nationals this season, he got stretched out for starting duty during his time on the rehab assignment, covering five innings in both of his final two outings at Double-A Harrisburg. The Nationals don't appear to have an opening in their six-man rotation at the moment, so Ward will likely work in long relief for the time being. He could be a candidate to get a start or two down the stretch, however.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Hits five innings in rehab start
Thad Ward (shoulder) struck out three while allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk over five innings in his most recent rehab start Friday for Double-A Harrisburg.Ward, who has been on the shelf since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, was making the sixth appearance of his rehab assignment overall and his second straight at Harrisburg. He's now covered exactly five innings in his last two outings and built up to 79 pitches (51 strikes) in Friday's start. Though all 22 of his appearances with Washington this season have come as a reliever, Ward looks on track to get a look as a starter once he returns from the 15-day injured list. The Washington Nationals currently have an opening in the rotation Wednesday at Pittsburgh, and Ward could be a candidate to either start that game or work as a bulk reliever behind an opener.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Could join rotation in September
Thad Ward (shoulder) will make his next rehab appearance Thursday at High-A Wilmington, and the Washington Nationals intend to stretch him out for a possible role in the rotation in September, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.Taken in this year's Rule 5 draft from the Red Sox system, Ward struggled to a 7.12 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 26:24 K:BB through his first 30.1 big-league innings, all in relief, before being sidelined in early July with shoulder inflammation. The 26-year-old right-hander is seen as a possible future rotation piece however, and with the club keeping an eye on the workloads of young starters MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin, there could be an opening for Ward over the final weeks. He's hoping to build up to four innings in Thursday's game after tossing five total innings across two appearances for the Nats' FCL affiliate last week.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Starts rehab assignment
Thad Ward (shoulder) began a rehab assignment with the Washington Nationals' Florida Complex League team Monday.Ward yielded a pair of runs over two innings of work in his first game action since going down with a shoulder injury in early July. He figures to require a few more appearances before rejoining the Nationals' bullpen.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Bullpen session Friday
Thad Ward (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.Ward is only going to throw fastballs and changeups during the workout, but it represents a significant step forward in his recovery from the right shoulder inflammation that sent him to the injured list July 3. He's currently on track to return to the Washington Nationals' bullpen around mid-August.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Hits IL with shoulder inflammation
The Washington Nationals placed Thad Ward on the 15-day injured list Monday with right shoulder inflammation, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.The rookie Rule 5 selection will head to the IL to clear a spot on the 26-man active roster for lefty Patrick Corbin (personal), who was reinstated from the bereavement list ahead of his scheduled start Tuesday versus the Reds. Considering Ward owns a 7.12 ERA and 1.65 WHIP and has yet to record a hold or save among his 22 relief appearances this season, his move to the IL should go largely unnoticed in fantasy circles.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thad Ward: Rookie struggles continue
Thad Ward gave up three runs on two hits and a walk in an inning of relief in Sunday's loss to the Phillies. He struck out two.The right-hander served up a three-run homer to Kyle Schwarber in the ninth inning, but the game was already well out of reach for the Washington Nationals. Ward has been tagged for three home runs in his last eight innings, inflating his ERA to 5.23 on the season to go along with a shaky 18.6 percent walk rate. A Rule 5 pick out of the Red Sox system, the rebuilding Nats will live with his growing pains, but Ward isn't likely to see any kind of fantasy-friendly role in 2023.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Nationals' Thad Ward: Still in running for bullpen spot
Thad Ward remains in the mix to break camp as part of the Washington Nationals' Opening Day bullpen, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.A Rule 5 pick, Ward would have to be offered back to the Red Sox if he doesn't make the roster, giving the Nats extra incentive to find room for him. The 26-year-old right-hander hasn't been a reliever since college and the adjustment to the bullpen this spring hasn't exactly been smooth -- seven of his eight Grapefruit League appearances have been scoreless, but his 11:6 K:BB through 8.2 innings highlights both his upside and his inconsistency. Ward's future might still lie in the rotation, but if he sticks in Washington, expect him to be used primarily as a low-leverage long reliever to begin his big-league career.