Dylan Crews is back. The Washington Nationals’ top prospect returned to the starting lineup Tuesday against the Marlins after sitting out two games with a hand injury, batting sixth and playing right field.
Crews was struck by a pitch on the hand during Saturday’s game, forcing him out of the lineup Sunday and Monday. Swelling in the hand subsided enough for the 24-year-old to reclaim his spot in Dave Martinez’s batting order. Since his mid-May call-up to the majors, Crews owns a .220/.256/.317 slash line with one home run and one stolen base across 43 plate appearances.
How the Injury Happened and What It Means
The hit-by-pitch that sidelined Crews came during a weekend series, with the ball striking his hand and immediately raising concern in the Washington dugout. The Nationals scratched Crews from Sunday’s lineup as a precaution, and he remained out Monday while the medical staff monitored swelling. By Tuesday, the inflammation had decreased enough for the club to greenlight his return.
Hand injuries for hitters are notoriously tricky. Even minor swelling can alter grip strength and swing mechanics, sapping power at the plate. The fact that Washington felt comfortable slotting him back in after just two days suggests the damage was superficial — a positive sign for a player the organization views as a cornerstone of its rebuild.
Key Developments
- Crews was scratched from Sunday’s lineup after being hit by the pitch Saturday, marking the first time he’d missed consecutive games since his May call-up.
- The 2023 second-overall pick has one home run and one stolen base in his first 43 plate appearances at the major-league level.
- Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com first reported Crews’ return to the lineup, noting the outfielder was batting sixth and playing right field Tuesday.
- Crews’ slash line of .220/.256/.317 reflects the typical adjustment period for a rookie still learning major-league pitching.
What Crews’ Return Means for Washington
The Nationals have been patient with Crews since promoting him in mid-May, and his quick return from this hand scare reinforces that the organization doesn’t want to disrupt his development with extended absences. Washington is deep in a rebuild, and every at-bat Crews gets against big-league arms accelerates his timeline toward becoming an everyday contributor.
His early numbers — the .220 average, the .256 on-base percentage — aren’t going to jump off the page, but context matters. Crews is 24, facing major-league breaking balls for the first time, and his underlying contact metrics suggest the tools are real. The power will come. The walk rate will climb. What Washington needs right now is reps, and Tuesday’s return ensures those keep coming.
Looking ahead, fantasy baseball managers in deeper leagues should keep Crews on the radar. His combination of power potential and stolen base ability gives him a viable floor as a bench stash, and any hot stretch could push him into starting lineups. For the Nationals, the priority is simple: keep him healthy and let the talent play out.
Why did Dylan Crews miss two games for the Nationals?
Dylan Crews missed two games after being hit by a pitch on the hand during Saturday’s game against an opponent. The Nationals held him out Sunday and Monday as swelling in the hand subsided before clearing him to return Tuesday.
Where was Dylan Crews batting in the lineup upon his return?
Crews was slotted into the sixth spot in the batting order and started in right field for the Nationals on Tuesday against the Marlins, according to Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com.
What are Dylan Crews’ stats since being called up in May?
Since his mid-May promotion to the majors, Crews is slashing .220/.256/.317 with one home run and one stolen base in 43 plate appearances for Washington.
Is Dylan Crews a viable fantasy baseball option right now?
Crews carries upside in deeper fantasy leagues due to his power-speed combination, but his early struggles at the plate make him more of a bench stash than a must-start player. His long-term potential remains high given his prospect pedigree.