RADIO
CJ Abrams Continues Breakout Campaign With Two More Home Runs
Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams stayed red-hot at the dish in Tuesday night's 8-7 loss to the hosting Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, going 2-for-3 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, and a walk to raise his season batting average to .279 and his OPS to .892. Both of Abrams' blasts in the thin air in Denver were two-run shots, and the 25-year-old All-Star has now homered in three straight games. During that stretch, he has four home runs and eight RBI, which makes him one of the hottest hitters in baseball this week. It hasn't just been limited to this week, though, as the former sixth overall pick in 2019 by the San Diego Padres is having a fantastic 2026 season, slashing .279/.354/.538 with an .892 OPS, 24 home runs, 76 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 61 runs scored across his 366 at-bats in his fourth full season in D.C. The two-time All-Star is having his best month yet in July, hitting .309 (17-for-55) with six homers, three doubles, 16 RBI, nine runs, and two stolen bases in 14 games played. Abrams is obviously a must-start fantasy shortstop.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Seaver King Still Sidelined With Hopes of 2026 Debut Fading
Washington Nationals infield prospect Seaver King (oblique) has been on the sidelines since the beginning of July after suffering an oblique injury. It's a tough break for the Nats' sixth-ranked prospect, who was tracking for a potential late-season debut in the majors. The former first-rounder began the season at Double-A Harrisburg and recorded a robust .336/.427/.562 slash line with five home runs and five steals in 35 games for the Senators. Triple-A had proven a bit more challenging, but the Wake Forest product was holding his own there, slashing .275/.338/.443 with five home runs and four steals through 33 games at Rochester. There has been no update on the status of the injury, and at this point, it looks like a return sometime in August is the most optimistic scenario, putting a 2026 debut in jeopardy. As such, there is no need to stash the right-handed hitter in redraft leagues, but his long-term outlook is still very positive, so his value in dynasty leagues should remain high.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Curtis Mead Is a Top Waiver-Wire Bat
Washington Nationals third baseman Curtis Mead reached base three times Sunday, July 19, going 1-for-3 with two walks, an RBI, a run, and his sixth steal in a 5-2 win over the Athletics. He is batting .256 with 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 47 runs, and six steals across 270 at-bats. July has been even better: 19-for-46 (.413) with three homers, nine RBI, 11 runs, and two steals. Yahoo still lists Mead at 47% rostered. That is hard to square with a regular third baseman who also qualifies at first and second, especially one producing this kind of power without selling out for it. Mead has an 11.4% barrel rate, 42.5% hard-hit rate, and .471 expected slugging percentage. RotoBaller has moved him into the 10-team range. He is not a speculative add anymore. He is one of the better hitters still available.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Seaver King has Tough Road to Big-League Spot With Current Injury
Washington Nationals middle-infield prospect Seaver King (oblique) has had a stellar minor-league season between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester before landing on the injured list. Between both levels, the talented infielder is hitting .306 with 10 homers and 51 RBI to go with 50 runs scored and nine stolen bases. King has a five-tool profile and is graded out with 70 speed. Unfortunately for fantasy managers this season, King landed on the IL in early July with an oblique injury. He has a bit of a tough road to the majors this season, as the Nationals have a solid middle infield led by CJ Abrams and Nasim Nunez, and King will have to work his way back to full health in the second half with the oblique injury, which can be tricky to deal with. But the Wake Forest product is the No. 6 prospect in the Nationals system and offers high upside with his elite speed.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Luis Garcia Jr. Drawing Interest as Trade Deadline Nears
Multiple MLB teams are showing interest in acquiring Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. in a trade, according to Will Sammon and Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. Garcia could present an intriguing opportunity for contending teams, with the possibility that the trade market this summer will lack power-hitting options. However, any talks between the Nats and other teams regarding Garcia are in the preliminary stages, and Washington hasn't seriously engaged on the topic. The Nationals are open to listening to offers on Garcia, but they value him because of his talent and an additional year of club control at a reasonable dollar figure. The 26-year-old is making $6.875 million in 2026 through arbitration and can become a free agent after the 2027 season. The lefty hitter has already reached career highs in homers (20) and is batting .284/.317/.554 with an .871 OPS, 68 RBI, 45 runs, and four steals in 90 games going into Saturday. Garcia still mostly sits against lefties, but his underlying metrics in the last three seasons show that he has an above-average bat. If the Nats pull the trigger on trading Garcia this year, they will most likely be looking to get back young, controllable pitching.
Source: The Athletic - Will Sammon and Spencer Nusbaum
Source: The Athletic - Will Sammon and Spencer Nusbaum
Andres Chaparro Heating Up in July, Homers Twice on Friday
Washington Nationals first baseman Andres Chaparro and the rest of the team were seeing the ball well on Friday night in their 23-4 trouncing of the Athletics at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. Chaparro went 4-for-5 at the plate as the three-hole hitter with two home runs, eight RBI, four runs scored, and a walk. The 27-year-old Venezuelan first baseman has only played in 32 games (71 plate appearances) in his third year in the big leagues with the Nats, and he's now hitting .220/.352/.424 with a .776 OPS, three home runs, 15 RBI, 13 runs scored, 11 walks, and 18 strikeouts. In an even smaller sample size since the start of July, Chaparro has gone 6-for-14 (.429) with all three of his home runs, 10 RBI, and five runs scored in seven games played. While Chaparro will likely continue to be a part-time player, it's hard to ignore his recent hot streak, potentially making him a short-term waiver-wire pickup in deeper fantasy leagues. Right now, he's not rostered in any Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Harry Ford Launches Home Run in Season Debut
Washington Nationals catcher Harry Ford had a memorable 2026 season debut in his team's 23-4 win over the Athletics on Friday night. The 23-year-old batted sixth and went two-for-five with a home run, a walk, three RBI, and three runs scored. A former top prospect in the Seattle Mariners system, Ford made his MLB debut with Seattle in 2025 but logged just eight plate appearances. He's struggled a bit this season with Triple-A Rochester, hitting .223/.370/.335 with four home runs, 22 RBI, and 35 runs scored across 257 plate appearances. Still, he was promoted by Washington for the second half of the season and could be in line to steal playing time from Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz. Ford's ability to get on base at a high rate may be what keeps his bat in the Washington lineup regularly, as he logged a 16.2% walk rate at Triple-A in 2025 and a 17.5% walk rate in the minors this season before being called up. Fantasy managers in need of catching help should consider targeting Ford on the waiver wire.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Foster Griffin is an Interesting Sell-High Candidate
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin has been one of the biggest surprises this season. Griffin returned to the big leagues this season after spending the last three years in Japan. He has been excellent and earned himself the first All-Star selection of his career in 2026. Through 19 starts, Griffin registered a 2.77 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 109/26 K/BB ratio across 110.1 innings this season. The 30-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down, but fantasy managers shouldn't put too much faith in him. Dynasty managers especially should consider selling high on Griffin. Given his age and the level of success he's experiencing, it's likely only going to regress from here. He doesn't have much of a professional track record and has already thrown well over 100 innings this season. Griffin could still be a valuable fantasy asset, but him posting ace-type numbers in the long-term seems unlikely.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
James Wood on His Way to a Career Year
Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood continues to impress and is establishing himself as one of the top power hitters in the MLB. He has hit 28 homers in 97 games and seems certain to pass his previous career-high of 31 homers from last year. His batting average is up from .256 to .279 while his wOBA has climbed from .353 to .416. He's already matched his career high with 15 stolen bases as well. He has the highest barrel rate and the highest hard-hit rate in the majors this season, along with the second-highest average exit velocity behind only Oneil Cruz. With such strong underlying metrics and elite production, Wood looks poised to be a fantasy centerpiece for years to come. He's still only 23 years old and continues to be one of the most exciting hitters in the game heading into the second half.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nationals to Promote Catching Prospect Harry Ford, a Must-Add in All Leagues?
The Washington Nationals are recalling top catching prospect Harry Ford to the majors after this week's All-Star break, a source told Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. The 23-year-old backstop has a .705 OPS at Triple-A Rochester this year, but he's posted a .9111 OPS since June 1. Ford is ranked fifth in Keith Law's preseason top-20 Nationals prospects and was the headliner in the offseason trade that sent closer Jose A. Ferrer to the Seattle Mariners. The former 12th overall pick by the M's in 2021 will take the place of catcher Drew Millas, who was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a left index finger fracture. In 58 games (257 plate appearances) at Rochester this year, Ford has hit .223/.370/.335 with a .705 OPS, four home runs, 22 RBI, and 34 runs scored. However, a shoulder injury that he has played through has hampered his production, and he has taken a step forward offensively in recent weeks, leading to his second-half promotion. For now, Ford figures to serve as Keibert Ruiz's backup, so he probably won't have much fantasy appeal in redraft leagues for the time being.
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Harry Ford Turning the Corner at Triple-A, Is he the Top Catching Prospect to Stash?
Washington Nationals catching prospect Harry Ford has turned the corner over the last month of action at Triple-A and has put himself firmly on the stash radar. Over his last 18 games at Triple-A Rochester, the former 12th overall selection has posted a sharp .291/.474/.545 line with a stellar 1.019 OPS, five doubles, three home runs, and a 16:17 K:BB. This surge is worth emphasizing, as Ford carried a much lower .203/.332/.268 line with a 49:28 K:BB over his first 41 Triple-A regular-season contests. The 23-year-old received a brief taste of the majors last season in Seattle but posted a low .417 OPS over just eight PAs. Even though Keibert Ruiz has held his own at the MLB level, Ford has been making a strong push for a promotion and could earn the call to D.C shortly after the All-Star break. His current trajectory makes him a worthy stash in deeper two-catcher leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Curtis Mead a Must-Add Power Bat After Hot Finish?
Washington Nationals third baseman Curtis Mead hit the All-Star break at .247 with 17 home runs, 44 RBI, 42 runs, and five steals in 259 at-bats. He got there hot, going 11-for-26 with three homers over his final seven games. Mead did not start Sunday but came off the bench and homered for the second straight day. He is still only 28% rostered on Yahoo. This is not just a weeklong heater. Meads 11.9% barrel rate and .478 expected slugging percentage back up the power, and he has cut his strikeout rate to 18.6%. The 42.6% hard-hit rate is another career best. First, second, and third base eligibility helps, too. RotoBaller ranks him 49th for Week 16 and recommends him in 12-team leagues. At 28%, he should not make it through the break on many waiver wires.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cade Cavalli a Second-Half Strikeout Target After Strong Return?
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli returned from a five-game suspension Sunday and held the Yankees to two runs over six innings, striking out five without taking a decision. That pushed him to 5-4 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings. Even with the rough, heat-shortened outing against Pittsburgh, Cavalli has 21 strikeouts against three walks over his last three starts. The swing-and-miss is not coming from nowhere. Cavalli averages 96.7 mph with the four-seamer, while his curveball has a 39.0% whiff rate and has held hitters to a .214 average. There will still be uneven starts, as the 1.35 WHIP suggests, but he is no longer just a matchup stream in 12-team leagues. RotoBaller ranks Cavalli 65th for Week 16 and recommends him in that format. At 36% rostered on Yahoo, the strikeouts are worth chasing after the break.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Crews a Second-Half Breakout Candidate to Target on the Waiver Wire?
Since being recalled from Triple-A in mid-May, Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews has hit .211/.270/.343 with six home runs, 18 RBI, 25 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 189 plate appearances. The 24-year-old hit .228 with four home runs and three stolen bases across 107 plate appearances in June, but he struggled to just five hits in 39 plate appearances in July before the All-Star break. Once considered to be one of the top prospects in baseball, Crews owns just a .627 OPS across 643 career MLB plate appearances to this point. However, his underlying metrics suggest that improvement is coming. With a respectable 8.2% barrel rate and 42.5% hard-hit rate, Crews' xBA is .248, and his xSLG is .427. The young outfielder has also posted a respectable 21.7% strikeout rate. While Crews' highest-upside scenarios may no longer be realistic, he could still develop into a balanced five-category compiler. With his value at a low point, Crews is worth targeting on the waiver wire as a potential second-half breakout candidate.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Can Clayton Beeter Be a Big-Time Closer Pickup?
Washington Nationals relief pitcher Clayton Beeter leads his team with seven saves on the season, and he seems to have the job as primary closer under control going into the All-Star break. He did blow a save and take a loss on Saturday, though, allowing two home runs and three hits without recording an out against the Yankees. He entered the game with a one-run lead with one out in the eighth inning and allowed homers to Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt. Before that outing, he had not allowed a hit in five straight appearances, earning a win, a save, and two holds over that stretch. Manager Drew Butera has been very unpredictable in his bullpen usage this season, although he doesn't have many great options to choose from. Beeter is probably the best option in the bullpen, but the situation has been very unpredictable all season. He's one of the best widely available closer options for saves, but he has been a wild ride for fantasy managers all season. Unless the Nats bring in a closer at the Trade Deadline, he'll remain in a high-leverage role with boom-or-bust upside. If you're desperate for saves, he's worth a look, but be ready for some major volatility.
Source: RotoBaller.
Source: RotoBaller.
