Apr 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Nationals third baseman Paul DeJong (14) leaves the field bloodied after being hit in the face by a Pittsburgh Pirates pitch during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Nationals Veteran Set To Begin Rehab Assignment After Lengthy Absence

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The Washington Nationals haven’t received the kind of production they hoped for from many of the offseason additions they made.

Designated hitter Josh Bell and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe were brought on to infuse some power into the lineup but have struggled to consistently perform this season.

Even though they haven't produced, they have at least been healthy and in the lineup.

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The same cannot be said for veteran Paul DeJong, who suffered an unfortunate injury when he was hit by a pitch on April 15 that caused several issues after being struck in the face.

The veteran third baseman suffered a fractured nose, broken orbital bone and broken orbital floor, needing to undergo several procedures to fix the ailments.

DeJong has been taking batting practice recently and met with doctors over the weekend to see what the next step in the recovery process would be.

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The doctors liked what they saw, and he has been cleared to begin his rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.

Paul DeJong who was beaned April 15 begins his rehab assignment tomorrow in Harrisburg #nats
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 16, 2025

It will be the first game action for DeJong in over two months and the Nationals will be happy to have him back in the mix.

While the start of his tenure with the franchise wasn’t overly productive with a .204/.246/.278 slash line, the team hasn’t received much production without him in the mix either.

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Washington’s third basemen have produced a 0.5 fWAR this season, which is the lowest mark in the MLB and tied for the least productive position on the team along with designated hitter.

If DeJong can return and find that power stroke he has displayed throughout his career, he would provide a nice boost to the lineup as well as improving his value as a potential trade chip ahead of the deadline.

For more Nationals news, head over to Nationals On SI.

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

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