What Could Getting DJ Herz Back Mean for Nationals' Future Plans?

The Washington Nationals had one of their young starters undergo Tommy John surgery early in 2025. What would his potential return in 2026 mean for them?

Sep 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher DJ Herz (74) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Nationals Park. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals have a lot of decisions to make when it comes to the upcoming offseason prior to the 2026 season. Following a season in which they performed less than optimally, they will likely work to turn over the roster quite a bit while also developing the young talents they have all across the team as well.

With Paul Toboni set to take over as President of Baseball Operations, things will likely end up being different for the Nationals, especially when it comes to player development long-term. One of the names who will be intriguing to watch in the latter half of 2026 will be young starting pitcher DJ Herz, who looked relatively impressive in his first MLB season back in 2024.

Unfortunately, he ended up having to have Tommy John surgery in April of 2025 following an injury, and missed the entirety of the year following that. On a positive note, the injury happened early in 2025, so the timeline may be more favorable for him to return. Getting him back into the rotation would be a huge benefit for a team that has been a bit streaky regarding their starting pitchers.

When Could Herz Potentially Return During the 2026 Season?

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The timeline surrounding Herz' return will be an interesting one. Given he is young and the injury happened in April of 2025, he could be in a promising position to return pre-All-Star break or near it, as the average recovery time is typically 12-18 months. The hope would be that he is on the closer side of that timeline, giving him a good chance to play in 2025 in the latter half of the season, provided he is ready to do so.

If based on the timeline provided by Josiah Gray with his Tommy John surgery previously, the expected return for Herz would likely be around early June, which would be positive for Washington as they look to build a rotation of young pitchers.

Giving him some time to climb through the minor leagues as well also has to be factored in, and ensuring he is fully ready to return, so waiting until post-break may be for the best depending on where he is in his recovery. Having the type of strikeout production he had in 2024 on the next roster would be hugely promising, as he had 106 to only 36 walks that first year, something the Nationals desperately need to improve on with some of their late rotation starting pitchers.