Washington Nationals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams picked up his first stolen base of the spring in Monday's 6-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Mets. The 23-year-old is 2-for-5 with two singles in his first games of spring action. The former first-round pick delivered a power-speed combination in 2023, slashing .245/.300/.412 with 18 home runs, 83 runs scored, 64 RBI, and 47 stolen bases in 614 plate appearances. The Nationals aren't the best lineup to hit in for counting stats, but the allure of Abrams' HR and SB totals with the hope for some batting average regression have him as a higher-end fantasy pick heading into 2024.

Washington Nationals right-hander Mason Thompson (elbow) is set to be re-examined by team doctors this week after being shut down the last two weeks of camp with a sore elbow. Thompson had Tommy John surgery nine years ago as a junior in high school. He's avoided major injuries since then, but he did miss three months due to a right-biceps strain in 2022. Manager Dave Martinez admitted he's "a little concerned." Thompson was dominant at times out of Washington's bullpen, but he wasn't guaranteed a spot on this year's Opening Day roster, so his elbow injury is going to make it even tougher for him to earn a spot. He struggled through most of the second half in 2023 and finished with a 5.50 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 51 games.

Free-agent reliever Matt Barnes' market is heating up, as the Washington Nationals are one club that is linked to him. The right-hander underwent offseason surgery on his hip but threw for interested clubs in late January and appears ready to join a big-league spring training camp soon. It was a tough 2023 season for the 33-year-old who dealt with both injuries and inconsistency as he posted a 5.48 ERA across 24 outings. However, he also posted a 4.15 FIP and 4.35 SIERA, suggesting he was better than his surface ERA might suggest. Once a staple in the Red Sox bullpen, Barnes owns a career 4.13 ERA across 453 appearances while boasting an impressive 29.4% K%, although that figure has hovered around just 20% in each of the last two seasons.

Free-agent reliever Derek Law agreed with the Washington Nationals on Wednesday on a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to sources. The deal would pay Law $1.5 million with $500,000 in incentives for games pitched if he's in the majors. The contract also includes three opt-out clauses. The 33-year-old veteran right-hander has seven years of big-league experience and had a 3.60 ERA (4.62 FIP) and 1.38 WHIP with two saves, 26 walks and 45 strikeouts in 55 innings over 54 appearances (three starts) for the Cincinnati Reds last year. If Law makes the Nationals roster out of spring training, he'd likely serve in a middle-relief bullpen role. Fantasy managers can ignore him.

Washington Nationals outfielder Stone Garrett (ankle, leg) is mostly a full participant in camp right now, but he's not all the way back yet since breaking his left fibula and suffering damage to his ankle while crashing into the wall at Yankee Stadium last summer. He is running at full speed and has taken live batting practice off a pitcher, but he's been held out of some baserunning drills and won't be in the lineup when Grapefruit League action kicks off on Saturday. The Nats want to ease the 28-year-old back into the fold, but they're not ruling out Garrett being ready for Opening Day. In his first year in D.C. in 2023, Garrett hit .269 (63-for-234) with nine homers and 40 RBI in 89 games but his 30% strikeout rate doesn't bode well for future success, and the Nationals have plenty of outfield prospects that could make their debuts in 2024.