Nationals Give Positive Updates on Multiple Injured Pitchers

The Washington Nationals are likely going to have a patchwork pitching staff for the entire year.

Following an offseason where their only notable major league free agency signing was to bring left-handed starter Foster Griffin back from Japan, the Nationals went into the 2026 campaign with a rotation and bullpen full of holdovers, waiver additions and minor league signings.

The relief staff has already seen multiple shuffles to start the year, as Cionel Perez is no longer with the team and there has been movement up and down from Triple-A. But the good news is that Washington is trending towards getting reinforcements back following positive injury updates on multiple pitchers.

Clayton Beeter Is Back to Throwing

The first notable one is that right-handed reliever Clayton Beeter threw 15 pitchers off the mound, according to the team's website. He's projected to return at some point in mid- or late-May, but this is a great sign that he's progressing well.

Beeter, who came into the season presumed to be the team's primary closer, was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 26 with right forearm soreness. He had been solid for the Nationals with a 3.48 ERA across his 10 appearances, but he also struggled with his command by striking out nine batters compared to walking eight in 10 1/3 innings pitched.

Still, Beeter had been one of the most effective bullpen arms for Washington this year before he got hurt. And even though it seems like Gus Varland might take over the closer role going forward, it will be a big plus for the Nationals once they get the talented right-hander back.

Cole Henry, DJ Herz and Trevor Williams All Threw Bullpen Sessions

The other notable part of the update was that the injured trio of Cole Henry, DJ Herz and Trevor Williams all threw bullpen sessions that consisted of 30 pitches for the first two and 25 for the latter one.

Henry, who was placed on the 15-day IL on April 13 with a right rotator cuff strain, is expected to be the first one to come back out of this triad. While his timeline is murky since his projected return date is sometime during the first half of the season, that would still be huge for Washington. While Henry didn't have a good start to the year with a 6.43 ERA across seven outings, that likely can be attributed to his shoulder injury. So hopefully he can get back to his previous form when he returns.

As for Herz and Williams, they are expected to be back sometime in the second half of the season as they rehab from Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure, respectively. Seeing Herz return to the major league mound is important for the Nationals. They need to assess their pitching situation, and the left-hander could be part of it. Williams, on the other hand, doesn't have a clear role. While he was previously used as a starter, there are plenty of other options now and he might be moved to the bullpen as a result.

Regardless, it's a great sign that Beeter, Henry, Herz and Williams are all progressing well as they work their way back to the MLB mound. And that should provide Washington the reinforcements they need for the long season.

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