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Washington Nationals Announce Positive Pitcher Injury Updates
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- Washington Nationals Announce Positive Pitcher Injury Updates
(Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images)
The Washington Nationals returned to Nationals Park to kick off a five game homestand on Friday night in the first meeting of the season against the Los Angeles Angeles, but the team also announced a slew of positive injury developments as multiple pitchers are now set to make their return to the diamond as soon as this weekend, including the prized deadline addition.
After making an appearance in a Bridge League game where he tossed 30 pitches on Tuesday, left handed pitcher Connelly Early will make another appearance on his road to recovery after manager Blake Butera revealed pregame that he will pitch in Double A Harrisburg on Sunday. It marks an encouraging sign as Early battles back from elbow injury with a chance to impress when the Senators hit the road to take on the Fisher Cats for a 1:05 PM first pitch on Sunday.
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This will mark the first appearance in the minors for Early since arriving in the Nationals organization, though president of baseball operations Paul Toboni previously expressed optimism that a return in 2026 would materialize. Early has not pitched in a game since June 30 with the Boston Red Sox , ironically against the Washington Nationals , after suffering left elbow inflammation and being placed on the injured list the following day.
Butera also revealed that left handed pitcher DJ Herz is also scheduled to pitch in Triple A Rochester on Friday night when they travel to face the Red Wings. With first pitch set for 6:05 PM, Herz has made encouraging strides during his rehab stint with all eyes on what he looks like to open the 2027 regular season. Herz underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2025 before then suffering a flexor muscle strain on June 23, effectively shutting down the rest of his 2026 season.
Meanwhile, right handed pitcher Orlando Ribalta is playing catch as he eyes a full return in 2027. Ribalta reportedly told manager Blake Butera prior to the Sept. 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers that he felt forearm discomfort while going through warmups, leading him to be placed on the 15 day injured list while undergoing an MRI, which came back clean. The 28 year old posted a 3.77 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 43 innings and 45 appearances this season, including three consecutive scoreless outings after allowing four earned runs across 0.2 innings against the Colorado Rockies in a 13-1 loss last month.
