Nationals Rookie Dylan Crews Injury Rehab Assignment Starts at Rochester

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews started his injury rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday night, but it only lasted four innings.

Crews’ first game action since May 20 began with him batting second for the Red Wings and playing right field. The first games of most rehab assignments for outfielders usually last three at-bats or seven innings.

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Well, Crews only went four innings. During his second at-bat in the third inning he was hit by a pitch. He took his base and played in the field in both the third and fourth innings before he was lifted from the game for pinch-hitter Andrew Pinckney.

It may have been the plan for Crews to only play a few innings. But the fact that he was able to continue to play after being hit by a pitch is good news for his rehab assignment continuing without a break.

Crews grounded out in his first at-bat in the first inning.

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He was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain on May 21. The hope was that his recovery would not take two months. But, on July 22, the Nationals moved him to the 60-day IL in a procedural move to create a space on the 40-man roster.

Entering the season Crews was expected to be one of the prime candidates for National League rookie of the year. But his performance this season has been nothing close to that level.

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In 45 games before the injury, he slashed .196/.266/.354 with two doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 15 RBI.

Crews was the Nationals’ first-round pick in 2023, selected No. 3 overall just after he and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes helped LSU win the Men’s College World Series title. He played just 135 minor league games before he earned his promotion to the Nationals last season.

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In 100 minor-league games in 2024, Crews slashed .270/.342/.451/.793 with 13 home runs and 68 RBI.

In 31 Major League games last year he slashed just .218/.288/.353/.641 with three home runs and eight RBI. The Nationals consider him a building block for the future, including outfielder James Wood — who made his first All-Star Game appearance earlier this month — and shortstop C.J. Abrams.  

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