Washington Nationals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

The Washington Nationals designated outfielder Stone Garrett for assignment on Thursday to make room for right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan on the 40-man roster. Garrett will now be subjected to waivers, but if he goes unclaimed, he could return to the Nationals organization and be assigned to Triple-A Rochester to start the year. The 29-year-old former eighth-round pick by the Miami Marlins in 2014 only appeared in two games in the big leagues in 2024 after having left-ankle surgery. However, in 118 career games since debuting with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022, Garrett has hit .276/.341/.492 with an .833 OPS, 14 home runs, 53 RBI and six stolen bases in 361 plate appearances, so he could attract interest from around the league as outfield depth with some pop. He could find work in a short-side platoon elsewhere.

Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood (quadriceps) will serve as the designated hitter in his Grapefruit League debut on Friday versus the division-rival New York Mets, according to manager Dave Martinez. Depending on how Friday's game goes, the Nationals will decide if Wood is ready to play left field after that. Washington is easing the 22-year-old left-handed slugger into action in spring training while he deals with left-quadriceps tendonitis. With Opening Day not until late March, Wood should be fine for the start of the 2025 regular season, barring a setback when he begins playing in games. Going into his first full season in the big leagues, Wood is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 17 fantasy outfielder after he hit .264/.354/.427 with nine home runs, 41 RBI and 14 steals in his first 79 games in 2024. Lack of consistent contact could be an issue, but Wood's power upside makes him a top-25 fantasy outfielder.

Washington Nationals outfield prospect Robert Hassell III has been swinging a hot bat to start spring training. Through four games, Hassell has gone 5-for-11 at the plate with two doubles and a home run. He has tallied five RBI, scored three runs, and swiped a bag. He has only struck out twice. Hassell was initially drafted by the San Diego Padres with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft but was shipped to Washington in the Juan Soto trade during the 2022 campaign. The 23-year-old has spent most of the past two seasons at the Double-A level, where he posted a .238/.328/.334 line across 193 contests. However, last summer, the outfielder was promoted to the Triple-A level, where he tallied just eight hits and two home runs across 17 games. He will likely begin the 2025 season at Triple-A and could push for a late-season debut.

Texas Rangers left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia (forearm) is set to face live hitters on Thursday. The 28-year-old has been dealing with irritation in his left forearm and has been behind schedule during camp. Garcia has been throwing bullpen sessions and will now look to progress to the next step in his recovery process. If Garcia is able to perform well in this session, he could be nearing his spring training debut. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression. Last season, the 28-year-old logged a career-high 59 2/3 innings with the Washington Nationals. He held a 4.22 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP. Garcia tallied 75 strikeouts and generated an elite 2.53 xERA, which suggests he should face significant positive regression when he returns to the bump. Fantasy managers should expect Garcia to compete for a high-leverage role in the Texas bullpen.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore is set to make his spring debut on Saturday. The Nationals will play in split-squad games against the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals that day. Gore has yet to pitch in a spring training game but has remained active on the mound. He threw two innings against live hitters earlier this week and noted that everything feels "normal" and that he is on the "same schedule as everybody." Gore is expected to serve as the ace of the rotation once again. Last season, the southpaw held a 3.90 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP across 166 1/3 innings of work. He tallied an impressive 181 punchouts but had a high 8.9 percent walk rate. He also generated a modest 4.50 xERA and a .252 xBA, which placed him in the 39th and 31st percentile. Fantasy managers should view Gore as a late-round target when looking to bolster their rotation and increase their strikeout production.