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Rutledge was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.
Rutledge was torn apart by the Pittsburgh offense during Monday's 16-5 loss, as he gave up seven runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two over 1.1 innings of relief work. Washington will presumably call up a fresh arm ahead of Tuesday's clash, though a move has yet to be announced by the club.
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Nationals' Ken Waldichuk: Could be headed for elbow surgery
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Waldichuk, who was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier Monday, is set to receive a second medical opinion on his left forearm injury after a doctor recommended him for Tommy John surgery, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Waldichuk previously underwent the procedure in May 2024, resulting in him missing that entire season before he returned to action in the minors last June. The southpaw struggled at the Triple-A level in 2025 but was able to make enough of an impression in spring training to secure a spot in the Nationals' Opening Day bullpen, only to go down with the forearm injury during his appearance in Sunday's win over the Brewers. Given the lengthy recovery timeline for Tommy John surgery along with the murky track record of pitchers who have had the procedure twice, Waldichuk is likely eager to avoid another operation and hoping that treating the injury with rest and rehab is a feasible option. Regardless of what treatment plan he ultimately chooses, Waldichuk appears to be headed for an extended absence.
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Nationals' Brady House: Idle for series opener
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House is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.
Over his last five starts, House has gone 2-for-20 with one walk and six strikeouts, so the Nationals will give him a chance to clear his head as the team opens a four-game set against the Pirates. Jorbit Vivas will fill in for House at third base.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Summoned from Triple-A
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The Nationals recalled Rutledge from Triple-A Rochester on Monday.
Rutledge ranked second on the Nationals with 63 appearances in 2025, but he netted a 5.77 ERA and 1.51 WHIP over 73.1 innings and was unable to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster coming out of spring training. He hasn't been especially sharp at Rochester this season with a 1:5 K:BB in five innings over six appearances, but Rutledge will get the call back to Washington nonetheless after relievers Ken Waldichuk (forearm) and Cole Henry (shoulder) were placed on the 15-day injured list Monday.
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Nationals' Orlando Ribalta: Back in majors
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The Nationals recalled Ribalta from Triple-A Rochester on Monday.
He'll provide Washington with another healthy arm out of the bullpen after right-hander Cole Henry (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured in a corresponding move. Ribalta previously made 26 appearances for Washington between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, logging a 7.81 ERA and 2.06 WHIP across 27.2 innings.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Shelved with rotator cuff strain
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The Nationals placed Henry on the 15-day injured list Monday due to a right rotator cuff strain.
Henry may have been pitching through the injury during his most recent appearance in Sunday's 8-6 win over the Brewers. He spotted just four of his 12 pitches on the afternoon for strikes and failed to retire either batter he faced while serving up a game-tying three-run home run to Gary Sanchez. According to Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com, manager Blake Butera said an MRI on Henry's shoulder revealed "nothing too serious," though it's unclear when the right-hander might be ready to resume throwing.
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Nationals' Ken Waldichuk: Hits shelf with forearm tightness
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The Nationals placed Waldichuk on the 15-day injured list Monday due to left forearm tightness.
Waldichuk was pulled early from his relief appearance in Sunday's 8-6 win over the Brewers after skipping a pitch to Milwaukee's Brice Turang and immediately motioning for team trainers to check him out. While the Nationals have determined that Waldichuk is tending to a forearm injury, he'll likely be sent in for further imaging as Washington looks to determine its severity. The southpaw previously underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2024, and even if Waldichuk doesn't require another forearm operation this time around, the Nationals are likely to proceed conservatively with his recovery program.
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Nationals' Jacob Young: Quick start to season
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Young went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in Sunday's win over the Brewers.
The slick-fielding center fielder is adding more value with his bat than usual. Young has hit safely in eight of the last 10 games, slashing .333/.375/.433 over that stretch with three doubles, a steal, three RBI and six runs as part of a surprisingly potent Nationals' lineup that sits fourth in the league in team OPS and in runs scored.
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Nationals' Trevor Williams: Beginning mound work
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Williams (elbow) began pitching off a mound at the Nationals' spring training complex this weekend, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
The veteran right-hander continues to rehab from elbow surgery with an internal brace procedure performed last July. Williams is on the 60-day IL and won't be eligible to make his 2026 debut until late May, but it's not yet clear if that's a realistic timeline. Over 82.2 innings and 17 starts in 2025, Williams stumbled to a 6.21 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 65:21 K:BB.
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Nationals' Josiah Gray: Still not throwing
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Gray (elbow) continues to do strengthening and stability work and has yet to resume a throwing program as the Nationals exercise a great degree of caution with the right-hander, MLB.com reports.
Gray hasn't pitched in a big-league game since April 2024, missing most of the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery, and a flexor strain at the end of spring training derailed any chance he had of being in the Opening Day rotation. The 28-year-old won't be eligible to come off the 60-day IL until late May, but given how slowly the organization is proceeding with him following his latest setback, it's not clear if that's even a realistic timeline for Gray.
Varland earned the save Sunday against the Brewers, allowing no runs on no hits and no walks while striking out one in a clean ninth inning.
With normal closer Clayton Beeter down after pitching two days in a row, Varland rewarded the coaching staff's faith in him for Sunday's save opportunity, working a clean, efficient ninth inning. The 29-year-old hadn't had a save up to that point in his entire career, so it's a first for Varland, who snapped a two-outing streak of allowing at least a run in the process. He now holds a 5.40 ERA in five innings pitched.
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Nationals' Zack Littell: Allows three homers in no-decision
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Littell didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Brewers, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks while striking out three in five innings of work.
Littell had a solid outing Sunday, but he made three mistakes that the Brewers punished for solo home runs that cost him a chance at a win. The good news is that those were the only three runs he surrendered in the game, as he was sharp and efficient otherwise, working through five innings in just 71 pitches. That brought Littell's season ERA to 4.20 with a 1.40 WHIP, 10 strikeouts and five walks in 15.0 innings pitched. Home runs have been an early problem for the right-hander, who has now allowed five on the season so far.
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Nationals' James Wood: Smacks homer in win
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Wood went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two walks and two runs scored during Sunday's 8-6 win over the Brewers.
One day after lighting up the Brewers to the tune of four hits and an RBI, Wood followed that up by reaching base three times, including a fourth-inning homer to tie the game at one. It was the 23-year-old's fifth homer of the season and also his 14th RBI, a mark tied for seventh in MLB. His .274/.392/.613 slash line is also evidence of the hot start the young outfielder is enjoying to begin the 2026 campaign.
Nationals' Ken Waldichuk: Exits with apparent arm injury
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Waldichuk was removed in the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday's game against the Brewers after suffering an apparent forearm/elbow injury, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports. He was charged with an earned run on one hit and one walk over 1.2 innings of relief.
Waldichuk entered the game in place of starter Zack Littell in the bottom of the sixth inning, working around a base hit to deliver a clean frame. He came back for the seventh and retired the first two batters he faced, only to exit the game midway through his matchup with Brice Turang after skipping a pitch. Waldichuk was seen pointing toward his upper forearm when a trainer came to visit him on the mound, though the Nationals have yet to provide a diagnosis for his injury. The southpaw previously underwent Tommy John surgery on his elbow in May 2024.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Idle Sunday
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
After alternating the starts at catcher between Ruiz and Drew Millas in their first 12 games of the season, the Nationals broke that trend this weekend. Ruiz ended up starting behind the dish Friday and Saturday, going 1-for-5 with a double and a run between those games. Though he'll give way to Millas on Sunday, Ruiz's back-to-back starts could signal that the Nationals may be willing to hand him a larger share of the workload.
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Nationals' Jose Tena: Getting day off
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Tena is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
The left-handed-hitting Tena will hit the bench against Brewers righty Brandon Woodruff. Tena had started the Nationals' prior three matchups against righties, but he'll cede his spot in the lineup to Jorbit Vivas on Sunday.
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