Washington Nationals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Texas Rangers left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia (forearm) tossed a shutout frame during his spring debut on Thursday against the San Diego Padres. Garcia allowed one free pass and tallied one punchout. Garcia was battling nerve irritation in his left forearm during the early part of spring training. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his production during camp as he is expected to compete for a high-leverage role in the bullpen. Earlier in the offseason, the Rangers acquired Garcia from the Nationals in exchange for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Last season, Garcia posted a 4.22 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP with 75 punchouts. He generated an elite 2.53 xERA, suggesting he should see significant positive regression in 2025. He will be competing for save opportunities alongside right-hander Chris Martin.

If Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young struggles early in 2025, MASN's Mark Zuckerman believes that he could be in danger of losing the job to outfield prospect Robert Hassell III. Hassell, a former eighth overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2020, is considered the team's No. 12 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 23-year-old has turned heads so far in Grapefruit League play, hitting .360 (9-for-25) with a homer, three doubles, five RBI and two stolen bases in 10 games after he hit .241/.319/.328 with five homers, 28 RBI and 15 steals at High-A Wilmington, Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester in 2024. While he's looked good this spring, it's a small sample size, and the Nats will likely want to see him hit better at Rochester to begin the 2025 season before they even consider him for his first MLB call-up. Hassell is merely a dynasty stash for the time being.

Cincinnati Reds left-handed pitcher Joe La Sorsa (illness) made his spring training debut on Monday. La Sorsa tossed a shutout frame against the Milwaukee Brewers. He tallied two punchouts and did not allow a baserunner. The southpaw was sidelined during the early part of camp due to an illness. However, seeing him return to action suggests he will not face any limitations by Opening Day. Last season, La Sorsa logged 17 2/3 innings with the Washington Nationals and held a 4.58 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP. He tallied 14 punchouts with a strong 6.8 percent walk rate. In 2023, the 26-year-old posted a similar 4.41 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP across his first 32 2/3 MLB innings. Fantasy managers should expect the St. John's product to continue to compete for a low-leverage role in the Cincinnati bullpen during the remainder of camp.

Washington Nationals left-handed pitcher Mitchell Parker (neck) is dealing with neck stiffness and was unable to pitch on Wednesday. Parker woke up with pain in his neck, and the team decided to lean on the side of caution. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but this injury does not seem overly serious. Last season, the 25-year-old made his MLB debut and posted a 4.29 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP across 151 innings of work. He tallied 133 punchouts and held a solid 6.7 percent walk rate. However, he generated a high 4.37 xERA and a .256 xBA, which suggests that he could face some regression when he returns to the bump. When healthy, he will likely compete for a spot at the back of the starting rotation. If he were to remain sidelined or struggle in camp, DJ Herz or Shinnosuke Ogasawara could claim his spot.

Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (illness) is back at second base and is batting cleanup for the team's Grapefruit League game on Wednesday versus the division-rival Miami Marlins. Garcia is back in action after missing a few days in camp while being under the weather. The 24-year-old second baseman has so far gone 2-for-7 in spring training with an RBI in three games played. The left-handed hitter is on the rise heading into the 2025 season after breaking out with a career year in 2024 when he slashed .282/.318/.444 with a .762 OPS, 18 home runs, 70 RBI, 22 stolen bases and 58 runs scored in 528 trips to the plate over 140 games played. Not only did Garcia loft the ball in the air more, but he also made more contact and hit the ball hard when he did make contact. His strikeout rate is less than ideal, but he's locked into the starting role at second for the Nats, making him a top-10 fantasy second baseman.