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Nationals' Zack Littell: Hammered for eight runs in loss
Rotowire
Littell (0-4) took the loss Tuesday against the Mets, surrendering eight runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks with one strikeout across 3.2 innings.
Littell has now been tagged for eight runs in each of his last three starts and has given up an astonishing 25 earned runs and 13 homers across 28.2 innings this season. Both of those numbers are the most in the league. It's fair to wonder how much longer Washington will trot out the right-hander to make starts. He gave up long balls to Bo Bichette and Juan Soto on Tuesday and now owns a hideous 7.85 ERA, 1.74 WHIP and 16:11 K:BB across six appearances. His 9.06 FIP and 7.96 xERA suggest Littell has somehow pitched even worse than his numbers would suggest.
Beeter (forearm) had an MRI come back clean and was cleared to resume throwing Tuesday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
The right-hander landed on the injured list Sunday due to right forearm soreness, but the quick return to throwing should allow him to avoid a lengthy stay on the shelf. Beeter will be eligible to be reinstated May 8 in Miami, and it's possible he'll be able to return on or shortly after that date.
Nationals' Paxton Schultz: Collects first major-league save
Rotowire
Schultz earned the save in the Nationals' 2-1 extra-inning win over the White Sox on Sunday, allowing one unearned run on one hit while striking out two in the 10th frame.
Gus Varland and Richard Lovelady were deployed in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, which prompted the Nationals to turn to Schultz to protect the team's 2-0 lead. A Tristan Peters RBI single brought home the White Sox's ghost runner in the 10th inning, but Schultz shut the door by striking out the next two batters he faced to come away with the first save of his major-league career. Varland blew his save chance Saturday, and given that he pitched in the eighth inning of Sunday's game, Schultz might be in the mix for save opportunities for as long as Clayton Beeter (forearm) is on the 15-day injured list.
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Nationals' Foster Griffin: Fans eight in no-decision
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Griffin did not factor into Sunday's decision against the White Sox. He allowed two hits and two walks while striking out eight across seven scoreless innings.
Griffin set the tone early by striking out the side in the first inning after yielding a single. He allowed just three more baserunners over the next six frames, but he was unable to come away with the win as neither team scored until extra innings. For Griffin, it was his second-straight quality start and the fourth time this season that he gave up two earned runs or less. He has a 3-0 record through six starts with a 2.67 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 30:10 K:BB across 33.2 innings in 2026. Griffin is slated to make his next start next weekend at home against the Brewers.
The Nationals recalled Granillo from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.
The right-hander opened the campaign in Washington's bullpen but was demoted in early April after giving up six earned runs in his first five outings of the season. Granillo also struggled at Rochester with an 18.00 ERA and 6:6 K:BB over five innings, so he may not be up in the majors for long.
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Nationals' Paxton Schultz: Back in majors
Rotowire
The Nationals recalled Schultz from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.
The right-hander was sent to Rochester last weekend but will quickly rejoin the big club with Clayton Beeter (forearm) landing on the injured list. Schultz has given up four earned runs with a 7:1 K:BB over eight MLB innings this season and should fill a low-leverage relief role while up with the Nationals.
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Nationals' Clayton Beeter: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
The Nationals placed Beeter on the 15-day injured list Sunday, retroactive to April 23, due to right forearm soreness.
It's unclear when exactly the right-hander suffered the injury, but he hasn't seen the field since firing a scoreless frame against Atlanta last Tuesday. Beeter and Gus Varland lead the Nationals with two saves each, so Varland is likely to be the primary option at closer while Beeter is sidelined.
Nationals' Nasim Nunez: Collects four RBI on Saturday
Rotowire
Nunez went 2-for-4 with four RBI, a walk and a stolen base in Saturday's 6-3 extra-inning win over the White Sox.
The 25-year-old middle infielder established a season high in RBI, which also matched a career best. However, Nunez is likely to remain strictly a fantasy streamer for stolen bases going forward -- he's slashing a pitiful .195/.298/.207 with one extra-base hit, 10 RBI and 12 runs scored over 96 plate appearances but does rank first in the major leagues with 12 steals.
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Nationals' Gus Varland: Charged with second blown save
Rotowire
Varland blew the save Saturday against the White Sox, allowing no runs on one hit and no walks in the eighth inning. He struck out one.
Although it was Varland who was charged with the blown save, both of Chicago's two runs scored in the eighth frame went against Mitchell Parker, who allowed back-to-back baserunners to open the inning. Varland has been working his way into a tandem at closer with Clayton Beeter, and Saturday's showing shouldn't affect his status in the Nationals' bullpen. Through 10.1 innings, Varland has a 3.48 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB while converting two his four save chances.
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Nationals' Jake Irvin: Racks up season-high nine Ks
Rotowire
Irvin took a no-decision Saturday against the White Sox, allowing no runs on four hits and no walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out nine.
The 29-year-old right-hander had his entire pitch mix working, registering 16 whiffs en route to fanning a season-high nine in his first scoreless start of the year. Interestingly, a passed ball and subsequent throwing error by Keibert Ruiz in the sixth inning enabled Irvin to strike out four in a single frame Saturday. Irvin is still searching for more consistent run prevention, as evidenced by his 4.85 ERA through 29.2 innings, but he does have a strong 1.18 WHIP and 34:11 K:BB ahead of his next scheduled outing versus the Brewers.
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Nationals' Andres Chaparro: Sent back to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Nationals optioned Chaparro to Triple-A Rochester following Saturday's 6-3 extra-inning win over the White Sox.
Chaparro was recalled to the big club and started at first base in Saturday's game, when he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, two walks and a run scored. The 26-year-old first baseman will now head back to Triple-A, where he's slashing .227/.301/.394 with one steal, three home runs and 11 RBI across 73 plate appearances.
Abrams isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the White Sox.
Abrams isn't typically someone who sits down against left-handed starters, but the Nats will give the lefty-hitting infielder a break Saturday with lefty-throwing Noah Schultz on the bump for Chicago. Nasim Nunez will slide over to short as a result, opening up second base for Curtis Mead.
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Nationals' Andres Chaparro: Recalled from Rochester
Rotowire
The Nationals recalled Chaparro from Triple-A Rochester on Saturday.
Chaparro was optioned to Triple-A after Washington's season-opening series and has since slashed .227/.301/.394 with three homers, 11 RBI and nine runs scored through 73 plate appearances at Rochester. Despite his uninspiring results, he'll return to the majors Saturday to provide depth at the corner infield positions.
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