According to Andrew Golden of the Washington Post, Nationals right-handed pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list. This transaction opened a roster spot for shortstop Paul DeJong, who the team signed to a one-year contract earlier on Sunday. Gray underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure during July and is not expected to return until late in the 2025 campaign. Gray began his throwing program in January but is still several months away from embarking on a potential rehab assignment. Before his injury, Gray was only able to log eight 1/3 innings with Washington last season. During the 2023 campaign, the 27-year-old held a 3.91 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP across 159 innings of work. Fantasy managers should expect Gray to contend for a rotation spot in the second half of the season but should not be targeted in any drafts, given his lengthy recovery process.

According to Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com, Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) began his throwing program and is targeting a return before the end of the season. Gray underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure last July. However, the young right-hander remains optimistic he can return in the back half of the 2025 season. Before the injury, Gray logged just eight innings of work in the majors and posted a 14.04 ERA. Across 21 innings in the minor leagues, Gray held a 6.00 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. In 2023, the 27-year-old posted a career-best 3.91 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP across 159 frames. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the season, as he could rejoin the rotation after the All-Star break.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) had Tommy John surgery and an internal-brace procedure on July 24 to fix a partially torn UCL in his right elbow. Ten days after the procedure, Gray said he was feeling positive and will take a day-to-day approach to his long recovery. He has been in the team's clubhouse doing his physical therapy and watching home games from the dugout. Gray was put on the injured list on April 9 (retroactive to April 6) and was moved to the 60-day IL on July 5 to clear a space on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old will miss the remainder of the 2024 season and most likely most, if not all, of next year as well. The former second-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 out of Le Moyne College surrendered 13 earned runs on 15 hits in just 8 1/3 innings over his two starts at the start of this year before landing on the shelf.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) has a partial tear of the UCL in his right arm and will have season-ending elbow surgery on Wednesday with Dr. Keith Meister in Texas. Gray said he's unsure if he'll need Tommy John surgery, an internal-brace procedure, or a combination of both. It will depend on how significant the tear is once they cut him open. Either way, the 26-year-old is going to miss the rest of this year and the majority of next season as well. Fantasy managers in single-year setups can now safely drop Gray everywhere. The former second-round selection by the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 out of Le Moyne College had a year to forget in 2024, as he went 0-2 and gave up 13 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings over his two starts before going down with his elbow injury. Gray won't be on the fantasy radar next spring, either.

The Washington Nationals transferred right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) to the 60-day injured list on Friday and selected the contract of first baseman Juan Yepez from Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move. It's been a tough year for Gray in 2024, to say the least. The 26-year-old landed on the IL back in April with a flexor strain in his right elbow and then suffered a setback recently on a minor-league rehab assignment and will be shut down from throwing for a few weeks. Gray won't return to the Nationals until the second half of the season, and an MRI exam around the All-Star break should give us a better idea of when he might be able to return. In just two starts before his injury, Gray was beat up to the tune of 13 earned runs on 15 hits (two homers) while walking five and striking out nine in 8 1/3 innings.

Washington Nationals pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) will receive an MRI after he felt elbow discomfort during a rehab start on Sunday for Triple-A Rochester. Gray said he felt the same level of discomfort that placed him on the injured list in April. He felt more fatigued than usual in his previous start and will undergo more tests to determine the severity of his injury. The 26-year-old is (0-2) with a 14.04 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in only 8 1/3 innings, striking out nine and walking five. The rotation has managed the loss of Gray with the emergence of rookies Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz.UPDATE: Manager Dave Martinez said the team will wait to get an MRI exam on Gray until around the All-Star break.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) is expected to remain with the Rochester Red Wings and make "at least one or two more" minor-league rehab starts in his recovery from a right elbow/forearm flexor strain, manager Dave Martinez said on Wednesday. Gray was sharp in his last appearance, throwing six innings of one-run ball on four hits and no walks with four strikeouts on Tuesday and building up to 73 pitches in the outing. The Nationals are opting for a cautious route with the 26-year-old former All-Star, who has missed much more action than expected with the injury. Gray is still a candidate to rejoin Washington's rotation at some point in early July, barring any setbacks.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) will make a minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. Gray threw 79 pitches in his last rehab start last Wednesday and is expected to go six innings or around 90 pitches this time out. And if the 26-year-old doesn't suffer any setbacks with his right elbow, it should be his final rehab start before coming off the injured list and rejoining Washington's starting rotation right before the All-Star break. Gray will have a rotation spot waiting for him in D.C. despite posting a nightmarish 14.04 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in his first two starts of the 2024 season. Given Gray's long layoff, fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting too much when he returns to the big leagues. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues shouldn't completely ignore him, though, after making his first All-Star appearance in 2023.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) will make another minor-league rehab start next week, this time with Triple-A Rochester. In his latest rehab start for Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday, Gray got up to 79 pitches and got through five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking three and fanning five. If the 26-year-old makes it out of his next rehab appearance unscathed, it's likely that his next start will come in the big leagues for the Nationals. The former second-rounder in 2018 by the Cincinnati Reds only made two starts before landing on the injured list and went 0-2 with a 14.04 ERA and 2.40 WHIP while striking out nine in 8 1/3 frames. His elbow may have been the culprit, though, so fantasy managers shouldn't completely dismiss him after he made his first All-Star appearance in 2023.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) threw a live bullpen session on Thursday. The 2023 All-Star threw 76 pitches in his session and is another step closer to returning to the big-league club. Gray got lit up in his first two starts of the season before being placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow/forearm flexor strain. Manager Dave Martinez spoke on Wednesday and would like to see Gray have one more bullpen session in the next five days before the club determines the next move. Gray still has some work to be done, but could be a valuable end of the rotation arm in deeper leagues when healthy.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) will throw a two-inning live batting practice on Saturday. It's been a longer absence than originally anticipated for Gray, who was placed on the 15-day injured list back on April 9 due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain. A May return isn't a reasonable expectation at this stage, as Gray will likely need a handful of minor-league rehab appearance before he rejoins Washington's rotation. Considering the 26-year-old former top prospect has yielded 13 runs over 8 1/3 innings (two starts) in 2024, the club is likely in no hurry to push him back into the fray. Rookie southpaw Mitchell Parker has been a nice surprise for the Nats this year, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 32:8 K:BB across seven starts (38 innings), and he's worth streaming in fantasy in favorable conditions.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) threw another bullpen session on Friday afternoon. He threw his first session on Tuesday. On Friday, he increased his count to 35 pitches compared to his total of 30 earlier in the week. Gray is still just throwing fastballs, but this is a good sign in his recovery process. The 26-year-old threw just eight innings before being placed on the injured list on April 6. Gray still has to begin throwing breaking balls in bullpen sessions before beginning a rehab assignment. There is still no official timetable in place, but with where he is in the recovery process, fantasy managers should not expect Gray back on the mound until June.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) felt good after throwing a bullpen on Saturday, according to manager Dave Martinez. He threw around 30-35 pitches and will be throwing another bullpen on Tuesday or Wednesday. There currently isn't a timetable set for Gray's return or when to expect him to begin rehab starts, but this is a positive sign for the 26-year-old. Gray had a very rocky start to the 2024 season, giving up 13 runs in just over eight innings across two starts. With Gray out, the Nationals starters have posted a 4.40 ERA, though three of their starters have posted an ERA below 3.50. They will have to hold down the fort until Gray comes back.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) will throw a bullpen session on Saturday. It will be the first time that Gray has thrown off a mound since going on the injured list with a flexor strain in his right elbow almost a month ago. It's good to see the 26-year-old making progress, but he still has a ways to go and will likely need a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment before the Nationals clear him to rejoin their big-league starting rotation. Gray, the former second-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 out of Le Moyne College, had an absolute disastrous start to 2024 by giving up 13 earned runs on 15 hits (two homers) while walking five and striking out nine in 8 1/3 innings in his first two starts before landing on the IL. When healthy, Gray should be able to bounce back and will have a spot waiting for him in Washington's rotation.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow, forearm) played catch up to 60 feet for two days in a row late last week, according to manager Dave Martinez. Gray was put on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 6) after an MRI exam showed a right elbow/forearm flexor strain before his scheduled April 9 start against the San Francisco Giants. He is 0-2 on the year with a 14.04 ERA in two starts, so he may have already been dropped in a lot of fantasy leagues after he landed on the IL. The 26-year-old is without a clear timetable to return and has plenty of steps to go through before the Nationals will seriously consider activating him from the IL and throwing him back into their starting rotation.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said before Friday's game versus the Houston Astros that starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) was able to increase his throwing distance up to 60 feet on Thursday and Friday. Gray has been on the 15-day injured list since April 9 due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain, and while he's eligible to come off the IL after the weekend, fantasy managers should not expect Gray to be available before May. The Nats could opt to send him on a brief minor-league rehab assignment before returning him to the big-league roster, as it's fair to expect a cautious approach after the 26-year-old former top prospect allowed 13 runs in his first 8 1/3 innings of the year before going down. Rookie left-hander Mitchell Parker is occupying Washington's rotation for now, but he won't be a recommended streamer in a tough matchup for Sunday's scheduled start against Houston.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) said his elbow/forearm strain is muscular after his MRI exam showed no structural damage to his elbow ligament. Gray spoke up quickly after experiencing discomfort in his right elbow in his last start and is hoping that helped this from being a more serious injury. The 26-year-old will miss at least the next two weeks after being put on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. It's been a tough start for Gray in 2024 after he made his first All-Star team in 2023, as he's currently sporting a 14.04 ERA with nine strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings over his first two starts this year. Joan Adon was recalled from Triple-A and will take Gray's spot in the starting rotation for now and start against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 6) on Tuesday with a right-elbow/forearm flexor strain and recalled pitcher Joan Adon from Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move. Fantasy baseball managers in shallower mixed leagues that have Gray rostered will probably waste no time dumping him to the waiver wire after he's started the 2024 campaign by surrendering 13 earned runs on 15 hits (two home runs) while walking five and striking out nine in 8 1/3 innings over his first two starts of the year. The 26-year-old could also be in danger of missing serious time given the nature of his arm injury. Adon will make the start on Tuesday in San Francisco against the Giants.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray will try to shake off a disastrous start to his season when he heads to the mound to face the San Francisco Giants and young left-hander Kyle Harrison in Tuesday's road start. Gray was the focal point alongside catcher Keibert Ruiz of the 2021 trade that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers, earning an All-Star nod in 2023 after serving up more home runs (38) than anyone else in 2022. But 2024 has been a different story for Gray, who not only surrendered 12 runs in 16 1/3 innings in spring training, but he's also sacrificed 13 runs in his first 8 1/3 frames of the regular season. Over 20 innings (three starts) in his Nationals career against the Giants, however, the 26-year-old right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 10 strikeouts. Treat Gray as a sneaky fantasy option for DFS tournaments in a pitcher-friendly environment.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray has been named the team's Opening Day starter on March 28 in Cincinnati versus the Reds. It won't be an easy assignment in a hitter's park against an emerging Reds lineup with plenty of dangerous hitters in it. The 26-year-old Gray is coming off his first career All-Star season in 2023 in which he went 8-13 with a career-best 3.91 ERA (4.93 FIP) and 1.46 WHIP with 80 walks and 143 strikeouts in 159 innings pitched over a career-high 30 starts. While Gray shouldn't be on the fantasy radar in 12-team mixed fantasy leagues, he has the ability to be a useful matchup-based streamer in deeper leagues, but his Opening Day matchup against Cincy won't be one of those. Left Patrick Corbin is set to pitch the second game for the Nats in Cincinnati.