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Nationals Officially Promote Robert Hassell III, Place Dylan Crews on IL
Feb 20, 2023; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder Robert Hassell III (55) practices his swing during a spring training workout at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Nationals Officially Promote Robert Hassell III, Place Dylan Crews on IL

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai  |  Last updated May 21, 2025 3:38 PM ET

There was some exciting news on Tuesday night when it broke that the Washington Nationals were planning to call up Robert Hassell III for his Major League debut.

Once viewed as a centerpiece of the Juan Soto return trade package, it's been a struggle for the former highly-touted prospect, taking longer than the rest of his piers -- CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore and James Wood -- to make it to The Show.

But while the Hassell news is exciting, it also comes with disappointment.

The expectation was that Dylan Crews would be placed on the injured list after leaving Tuesday's contest early with what was deemed discomfort in his left side.

And now, both of these moves have been made official.

The IL move for Crews comes at the worst possible time since it looked like he was finally starting to figure things out at the plate following prolonged struggles with the bat in his hand to start his career.

Expectations were high surrounding the former top prospect, with his pedigree suggesting that he would become a featured part of this roster alongside Abrams and Wood, who both look like they are franchise cornerstones and future stars.

While the time on the shelf will be spent to get Crews healthy, it could also provide him a chance to continue building momentum at the plate if he does go on a rehab assignment.

As for Hassell, this is an opportunity for him to reinsert himself into the picture when it comes to the future of Nationals baseball.

After becoming the forgotten part of the Soto deal, this is his chance to make a statement that he belongs on the Major League roster going forward, being a centerpiece in the outfield alongside Wood and Crews.

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This article first appeared on Washington Nationals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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