Washington Nationals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Washington Nationals relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan (shoulder) could miss some time after blowing a save on Thursday night. Afterwards, Nats' manager Dave Martinez mentioned that Finnegan could miss a little time while he's dealing with shoulder fatigue. The imaging on Finnegan came back clean, so it doesn't sound like the right-hander is dealing with anything significant. The Nats are planning on shutting him down for a little bit until he feels better. The expectation is that Jorge Lopez is going to take over as the closer in Washington until Finnegan is back in the mix. Lopez could be worth a look in the short term while Finnegan is out.

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (leg) was pulled from his start early on Friday versus the visiting San Francisco Giants after his leg tightened up on from being hit by a comebacker in the second inning. Gore walked off the mound after being checked on by manager Dave Martinez and a trainer, but MASN's Mark Zuckerman writes that it doesn't sound like the team is very concerned. The 26-year-old southpaw also said he's not concerned with the injury, which already is a nice welt on the side of his upper left leg. Gore took his second loss of the year on Friday night but he was excellent, allowing just an earned run on two hits while walking three and striking out nine in six innings of work. It sounds like Gore should be able to make his next scheduled start next Thursday in a difficult matchup against the Seattle Mariners, but fantasy managers will want to check back on Gore's status.

Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young (shoulder) has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 20, with an AC sprain in his left shoulder. The former seventh-round pick picked up the injury last Saturday when he slammed into the outfield wall in the team's 10-6 win against the Baltimore Orioles. Dylan Crews (oblique) is also on the IL, so prospect Robert Hassell III should have every opportunity for everyday playing time moving forward, especially after an impressive MLB debut on Thursday. Young's season line is uninspiring (.227/.309/.282), but he's exhibiting a solid eye at the plate (15% strikeout rate) and is vastly underperforming his .279 xBA. Look for him to get some better BABIP luck when he returns.

Washington Nationals young star James Wood went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs scored, and two walks in Washington's 8-7 extra-inning win against the Atlanta Braves. Wood has been blistering hot at the plate of late, slashing .529/.609/.765 over his last seven days. Thursday was no different, and he played a huge role in sparking the Nationals' comeback win over the Braves. Wood is slashing .291/.389/.545 on the season with 12 home runs, 33 RBI, 32 runs scored, 12 doubles, and seven stolen bases. He is breaking out in his sophomore campaign, and fantasy managers don't have to hesitate whether or not to keep him in their lineups. Next up for Wood is a three-game series in San Francisco as the Nationals take on the Giants.

Washington Nationals outfielder Robert Hassell III had a solid MLB debut in his team's 8-7 extra-inning win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday. Hassell went 2-for-5 with two runs and a stolen base to help lead Washington to the win. The rookie outfielder is known for his speed, although his ability to hit for power at the big-league level is still in question. That being said, Hassell is worth an add off the waiver wire in case he is able to show that his debut on Thursday was a sign of things to come.