Garrett cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old was designated for assignment by the Nationals last week but will stick in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. Garrett appeared in just two MLB games last season and spent most of the campaign at Rochester, where he had a .674 OPS in 71 contests.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Dropped from 40-man roster
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The Nationals designated Garrett for assignment Thursday.
Garrett was the casualty from the 40-man roster with the Nationals needing to clear a spot for reliever Kyle Finnegan, who officially re-signed with the club on a one-year deal. Though Garrett has slashed an impressive .276/.341/.492 (125 wRC+) over 361 plate appearances across parts of three big-league seasons, he missed most of the 2024 campaign while recovering from the left ankle reconstruction surgery he underwent last August. He finished the season healthy, but Garrett's standing as a 29-year-old, bat-first player who profiles best as a short-side platoon designated hitter made him an expendable piece for Washington.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Homer, three hits in season debut
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Garrett went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, a double, an additional run scored and an additional RBI in Friday's 9-1 win over the Phillies.
Garrett had to wait until the last week of the season to rejoin the Nats, though he certainly made the opportunity count, launching a 431-foot homer off Ranger Suarez in the first inning. Garrett slashed .249/.348/.333 with just three home runs in 79 games with Triple-A Rochester this season after batting .269 with an .800 OPS in 268 plate appearances with the Nats last year.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Back in big leagues
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The Nationals recalled Garrett from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Garrett was a useful short-side platoon player for the Nationals in 2023 when he posted an .839 OPS against left-handed pitching, but he's spent all of 2024 in the minors until now and managed just a .681 OPS. The 28-year-old could be sent back down when Andres Chaparro returns from the paternity list later this week.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Shifts rehab to Triple-A
Rotowire
Garrett (ankle) went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts Wednesday in his first rehab game for Triple-A Rochester.
Garrett shifted his rehab assignment to Rochester after going 7-for-26 (.269 average) with seven walks, two RBI, two runs and one stolen base over his eight-game stint with Double-A Harrisburg. The 28-year-old made six of his eight starts with Harrisburg in left field, so he should be an option for the Nationals at DH or in the corner outfield when he ultimately returns from the 10-day injured list. Garrett produced an .800 OPS over 268 plate appearances with Washington in 2023 before undergoing season-ending reconstructive surgery on his left ankle last August.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Beginning assignment at Double-A
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Garrett (ankle) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Harrisburg on Saturday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Garrett has been on the injured list all season after undergoing left ankle reconstruction surgery in August, and it appears he's now ready to test his ankle in a competitive setting. It's unclear how long he will remain in the minors, but the 28-year-old outfielder figures to operate on the short side of a platoon once he returns to the Nationals.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Lands on 10-day IL
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The Nationals placed Garrett (ankle) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
As expected, Garrett won't be available to begin the season while he continues his recovery from the left ankle reconstruction surgery he underwent last August. According to MLB.com, Garrett is expected to stick around at the Nationals' facility in Florida to participate in extended spring training games, and he could then head out on a minor-league rehab assignment thereafter. Once he's deemed ready for his 2024 debut, Garrett will likely serve as a short-side platoon player in the corner outfield or at designated hitter.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Playing in simulated game
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Garrett (lower leg) will play in a simulated game Monday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
It will be the first time Garrett has played in a game setting since he needed surgery last August on his left fibula and ankle. The Nationals are still holding out hope that the 28-year-old can be ready for Opening Day, but it's going to be close. Garrett is slated to see lots of action at designated hitter and also the outfield for the Nats this season.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Participating in most drills
Rotowire
Garrett (fibula/ankle) is running at full speed and taking live batting practice during the early stages of spring training, but the Nationals don't have a timeline for when he'll be cleared to make his Grapefruit League debut, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Zuckerman previously reported last week that Garrett would be a full participant at camp, and while that's largely been the case thus far, the Nationals are still easing the 28-year-old along slowly to some degree as he makes his way back from late-August surgery to repair a broken left fibula and address related ankle damage. In addition to delaying Garrett's inclusion in the spring lineup, the Nationals have also been holding him out of certain running drills, including one Wednesday that all of the team's other healthy position players took part in. Garrett thus far hasn't reported any setbacks with his left leg and remains a realistic option for the Nationals' Opening Day roster, but his status won't be officially known until the latter stages of spring training.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Full participant to begin camp
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Garrett (fibula) is a full participant to begin spring training, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
Nationals president Mike Rizzo suggested at the start of camp that Garrett would be brought along slowly after undergoing surgery in August, but it doesn't appear as though the 28-year-old outfielder is under any actual restrictions to begin camp. "It's going to be a progression, but we're going to push him," manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday. "He wants to be pushed. He's been hitting, and he looks really good hitting. We're not going to hold him back. He'll determine when he's ready to go, and we'll keep a close eye on him." If Garrett shows he can run without issue and handle the day-to-day grind of the schedule, he could avoid the IL to open the regular season and slot in as Washington's Opening Day designated hitter.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Will be eased in during camp
Rotowire
President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that the Nationals will be cautious with Garrett (fibula) in spring training, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Rizzo didn't explicitly say that Garrett will begin the season on the 10-day injured list, but the 28-year-old may face an uphill battle for Opening Day after undergoing surgery in August to address a fractured left fibula. Per Patrick Reddington of FederalBaseball.com, Garrett started running and hitting in late December, but he looks as though he'll be relegated to completing his rehab program on the back fields at the start of camp before rejoining the Nationals' main group. After serving mostly as a short-side platoon player in 2023 before suffering the season-ending injury, the right-handed Garrett was expected to get a look as an everyday player in 2024, but the Nationals' recent addition of left-handed designated hitter/corner outfielder Jesse Winker could alter those plans.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Resumes running
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Garrett (fibula) said that he's no longer wearing a boot on his left foot and was able to resume running on a treadmill Monday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Garret underwent surgery in late August to address a fractured fibula and also had a procedure on his ankle, resulting in him behind slightly behind schedule as he begins his offseason training program. The 28-year-old said he's still aiming to be ready to go for spring training, and the fact that he's already running three months before position players report to camp is a positive sign. Garrett served primarily as a short-side platoon option at left field and designated hitter in 2023, batting .269 with nine home runs, three stolen bases, 40 RBI and 40 runs over 89 games.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Laid up for six weeks
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Garrett will not put weight on his injured lower leg for six weeks, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
In addition to undergoing surgery on the fractured fibula Garrett sustained last Wednesday, he also had "some work done" on his ankle and will be laid up for six weeks. Garrett will miss the remainder of the season, but he should be ready to go for spring training in 2024.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Moves to 60-day IL
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The Nationals transferred Garrett (lower leg) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Garrett had to be carted off the field Wednesday after fracturing his fibula while attempting to make a catch at the wall. His move to the 60-day IL will officially put an end to Garrett's season, and Jacob Young will come up from Triple-A Rochester to fill the open 40-man roster spot. Garrett finishes 2023 with a .269/.343/.457 slash line alongside nine home runs and 40 RBI across 268 plate appearances.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Diagnosed with fractured fibula
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Garrett was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a fractured left fibula, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Garrett had to be carted off the field after getting his leg caught in the outfield wall at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday and subsequent testing has revealed a fracture. A timetable for his return hasn't been provided, but Garrett certainly isn't going to make it back before the end of the season. With Garrett out, the Nationals could go back to using Lane Thomas regularly at a corner outfield spot and putting Alex Call in center.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Possible waiver wire pickups
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One under-the-radar move that caught my attention this offseason was Garrett latching on with the Nationals. He seemed like exactly the sort of no-name player who could thrive in the void offered by a rebuilding club. It took until mid-August, but it may finally be happening. He's started nine straight games and is batting .438 (14 for 32) with two homers and five doubles during that time. The hits haven't been cheapies either. Four of his batted balls in a 3-for-4 performance Friday were hit 103 mph or better. He's 81st percentile for both average and max exit velocity on the season, and the same is true for sprint speed. Garrett broke through as a 25-homer, 17-steal guy in the Diamondbacks' minor-league system last year, so as long as he can stay in the lineup and keep the strikeouts under control, he can be of some help in five-outfielder leagues.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Goes yard twice in win
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Garrett went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Red Sox.
The 27-year-old ripped a James Paxton cutter over the fence in left-center field in the fourth inning before capping the scoring in the eighth by crushing a Garrett Whitlock sinker 442 feet to center field. Garrett appears to be pushing his way into an everyday role by going 8-for-17 (.471) over the last five games with two doubles, two homers, four runs and eight RBI, pushing his slash line on the season to .266/.346/.458.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Starting again amid hot run
Rotowire
Garrett will start in left field and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Garrett will pick up a fifth consecutive start Wednesday after going 6-for-13 with two doubles, three walks, six RBI and two runs in his last four games. Despite Garrett's hot run at the plate of late, it's unclear if the Nationals are eager to hand him regular starts against right-handed pitching. Two of his starts during this current five-game stretch came against lefties, and Lane Thomas missed one of the other three contests due to a wrist injury.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Belts seventh homer
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Garrett went 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Tuesday's win over the Rockies.
The 27-year-old took Brad Hand deep in the seventh inning for his seventh homer of the season. Garrett continues to thrive on the short side of a platoon in left field with Corey Dickerson, slashing .278/.345/.536 in 110 plate appearances this season against left-handed pitching.
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Nationals' Stone Garrett: Back on bench versus righty
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Garrett is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
With the Nationals facing off against left-handed starting pitchers in each of the last three contests, Garrett entered the lineup in left field each time but went a combined 0-for-10 with one walk against six strikeouts. The righty-hitting outfielder will move back to the bench Sunday in favor of Corey Dickerson while right-hander Dane Dunning takes the bump for Texas.
