Nationals Receive Encouraging News About Potential Return of Injured Pitcher
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As the Washington Nationals head toward another disappointing season, they are hoping to turn things around in the second half.
It has once again been a very frustrating year for the Nationals in 2025. This was a team that might not have been a contender coming into the season, but they were certainly hoping to be better.
Fortunately, there have been some bright spots with players like James Wood and MacKenzie Gore having breakout showings. However, there are also some other players who have been disappointing thus far.
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One area the team has really struggled in is their bullpen.
The unit has been one of the worst in baseball, but they are hoping to get a key member back soon.
Mark Zuckerman of MASN recently spoke with manager Davey Martinez about the potential return of reliever Andrew Chafin.
“You know what? If everything goes well on Tuesday, we’ll see where he’s at,” Martinez said. “I don’t know if he necessarily needs to go out on a rehab. I think he’ll be in good shape to go out there and pitch.”
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Chafin recently threw an intensive 30-pitch session on Saturday, with his rehab amping up. The southpaw has been on the injured list with a hamstring injury for most of the month, but a return appears to be near.
While it was good that his session went well, more of the concern will likely be regarding how he can move off the mound rather than how his arm feels.
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In 16 games, he has been one of the best relievers for team, totaling a 3.18 ERA. Now, the plan will be to throw again on Sunday with some more fielding work. Tuesday seems like the day a decision regarding his return could be made.
Hopefully, he continues to progress in the right direction and is back next week for Washington.
For more Nationals news, head over to Nationals On SI.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.