Washington Nationals Rookie Hits Key Injury Milestone on Road Trip

Dylan Crews isn’t ready to play yet, but he cleared a significant hurdle in his recovery on Friday in Los Angeles.

Washington Nationals rookie outfielder Dylan Crews took light swings during pre-game workout before Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That doesn’t sound like a big deal., except that Crews has now been cleared for baseball activities and took light swings on Thursday as a first step toward a return from a left oblique strain that put him on the 10-day injured list on May 21.

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Being cleared for baseball activities also means that Crews is on the road trip, which is the first time he’s gone on the road with the team since he went on the IL.

The developments were reported by multiple outlets, including MASN’s Mark Zuckerman.

Nationals manager Davey Martinez said there is no timetable for next steps. But he isn’t hitting baseballs and isn’t participating in defensive drills, things he would need to be able to do without pain before he could go on a rehab assignment to the minor leagues.

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“We wanted to keep eyes on him. He’s starting to swing a little bit,” Martinez said. “It’s nice for him to travel. It’s a long road trip, so I just wanted him to be around, be in this environment. And we wanted to get him going, too.”

Crews has struggled at the plate this season. In 45 games he slashed .196/.266/.354 with seven home runs and 15 RBI. His injury, along with a short-term injury to center fielder Jacob Young, has forced Washington to call up several outfielders, including Daylen Lile and Robert Hassell III.

Crews was the Nationals’ first-round pick in 2023 out of LSU. Along with Paul Skenes, he helped the Tigers win the Men’s College World Series that season. 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.  

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