Roster Moves (2025)

[Smithian]

And now only one before every Soto-prospect has played for the Nats.

JCA, the second RHIII takes the field, are we allowed a years-later bump of the Soto trade thread?

At this point, the trade seems to be going pretty well, and that's before considering only a few months in and Juan Soto is already have Mets drama.

[imref]

JCA, the second RHIII takes the field, are we allowed a years-later bump of the Soto trade thread?

At this point, the trade seems to be going pretty well, and that's before considering only a few months in and Juan Soto is already have Mets drama.

"pretty well" is quite an understatement.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

hold on a second.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/20/dylan-crews-injury-nationals-braves/

The Nats have not announced the corresponding move. Could be Young instead of Crews to the IL if Hassell is getting added, but it could be that Hassell is just here as insurance if Crews's MRI comes out OK and Young is ready to play.

The Nationals will call up outfielder Robert Hassell III, according to a person with knowledge of the move, but it is not yet clear whether Crews will head to the injured list as the corresponding roster move. Hassell, 23, was hitting .288 with a .742 OPS after a 3-for-4 night Tuesday at Class AAA Rochester and is in line to make his MLB debut.

[Natsinpwc]

"pretty well" is quite an understatement.

And yet the Nats have no hope of contending while Soto has been racking up lplqyifc appearances and will likely have one more this year.  Pretty sad what has happened to the Nats. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

JCA, the second RHIII takes the field, are we allowed a years-later bump of the Soto trade thread?

At this point, the trade seems to be going pretty well, and that's before considering only a few months in and Juan Soto is already have Mets drama.

sure. The irony bump is fine. With trades, there will always be reassessment

[Slateman]

hold on a second.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/20/dylan-crews-injury-nationals-braves/

The Nats have not announced the corresponding move. Could be Young instead of Crews to the IL if Hassell is getting added, but it could be that Hassell is just here as insurance if Crews's MRI comes out OK and Young is ready to play.

Put em both on the IL. DFA Bell. Call up Lile. Play Wood, Hassell, Call, and Lile in the OF and DH

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Speculating, but I could see Nunez sent down to bring up Chaparro or Yepez to become the righty in the DH/1B mix. Alternatively, he may get sent down when House is up, allowing Rosario to be a righty DH. Tena could back up the infield if Rosario is DH"ing

[Slateman]

Speculating, but I could see Nunez sent down to bring up Chaparro or Yepez to become the righty in the DH/1B mix. Alternatively, he may get sent down when House is up, allowing Rosario to be a righty DH. Tena could back up the infield if Rosario is DH"ing

This desperately needs to happen. I think Lile goes back whenever Crews or Young come back. These two moves would give you a nice platoon against LHP, with Call playing in the OF as well.

[Smithian]

Speculating, but I could see Nunez sent down to bring up Chaparro or Yepez to become the righty in the DH/1B mix. Alternatively, he may get sent down when House is up, allowing Rosario to be a righty DH. Tena could back up the infield if Rosario is DH"ing

Nunez demotion need to happen yesterday. He needs to be hitting every day and moving around the field defensively. Amed Rosario is having a sneaky good season at the plate and is capable of filling in at every spot in the IF and OF as backup utility IF.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

This desperately needs to happen. I think Lile goes back whenever Crews or Young come back. These two moves would give you a nice platoon against LHP, with Call playing in the OF as well.

there's some real platoon possibilities with a few moves.

vs RHP - Bell DH, Lowe 1B, Lile/Barrels in RF / CF
vs LHP - Rosario DH, Chappy 1B, Call in RF with one of Lile or Barrels in CF.

House, Abrams, Garcia, Wood every day every play. Tena the backup IF or Rosario on days he's not DH. If Garcia is getting beat up by LHP, Rosario can play 2nd a bit and Bell try hitting righty. The regular line up against LHP would have Call, Chappy, Rosario, and House, plus one of Adams or Ruiz hitting righty, and occasionally Bell instead of Garcia. That's not that bad platoon-wise.

[Slateman]

We have an 83 wRC+ against LHP this season. That sucks.

Ideally, there would be some way to get Chapparo, Call, Rosario, and Young in the lineup against lefties.

[Smithian]

We have an 83 wRC+ against LHP this season. That sucks.

Ideally, there would be some way to get Chapparo, Call, Rosario, and Young in the lineup against lefties.

Haven't faced a LHP starter in a week. Rosario usually gets a start. So the problem isn't usual lefty suspects Garcia and Tena, it's the rest of the team that has been trash against LHP.

And to Garcia's credit, he got a big hit last night against Beeks

[Mattionals]

Anyone else starting to think we would be better off with Wood, Crews, and Hassell in the Of? That is if Crews can get fixed.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Anyone else starting to think we would be better off with Wood, Crews, and Hassell in the Of? That is if Crews can get fixed.

Let's see Hassell in a month. He does look real now that he has functional wrists, and not every team blows a top 10 pick as bad as we did with Green. That said, if no team is willing to pay for Young as if he's a starter, then there's plenty of room to have him play against lefties. That could mean Wood sliding to DH and Hassell to left, or it could mean Hassell resting.

Figure the first move when Crews is healthy is Lile to Rochester. If Young is ready first, then they may go with Wood / Young / Hassell as the starters. Eventually, when Crews and Young are healthy, then Call's spot is in jeopardy.

[welch]

Anyone else starting to think we would be better off with Wood, Crews, and Hassell in the Of? That is if Crews can get fixed.

Me. I was just thinking the same after reading that Young will be sent to rehab when the team gets back to The District. When Young is healthy? Hassell hits, at least so far, and plays a good CF. Where do they put Call? Who gets demoted?

And when they bring up House in a few weeks?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Call has two options. I expect he's sent down when Crews and Young are healthy. First man optioned out is Lile.

As for "when House is ready," most likely it's Nunez optioned out. You then have a lefty and a righty back up infielder (Tena and Rosario).

This all could change if there are some trades. I don't expect anyone to be released. Bell is making that moot.

[Slateman]

Anyone else starting to think we would be better off with Wood, Crews, and Hassell in the Of? That is if Crews can get fixed.

Oh I was calling that a while ago. I think the question is going to be, are we better off with Wood at DH and an OF that has Lile starting over Call or Young

[Mattionals]

Oh I was calling that a while ago. I think the question is going to be, are we better off with Wood at DH and an OF that has Lile starting over Call or Young

We probably do have a better Of with Crews Hassell and Lile. Put Wood at 1B. Move Lowe if he ever regains value.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The Wood move doesn't happen until we clear Bell or Lowe off the roster, so that's not likely until after the ASB.

I'm not sure about starting Lile. He needs to hit a bit to be a full-timer. Question is whether you just run with him now and take his lumps as he learns to hit in the majors. I think I prefer him in a platoon with Call for now, and back in AAA when Young is back.

I think I'm sold that Hassell has made the club and is at least a strong side platoon player. He's only that because I'm a fan of Young's total package. I think he's a classic 4th OF, short-side of a platoon player with D and base-running. If somebody thinks Young is a full-time CF and will pay the price, then move him.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Me. I was just thinking the same after reading that Young will be sent to rehab when the team gets back to The District. When Young is healthy? Hassell hits, at least so far, and plays a good CF. Where do they put Call? Who gets demoted?

And when they bring up House in a few weeks?

Lile goes back down.  Still not much AAA experience, still young, has options, can't really play CF. 

Call plays RF.

If/when House comes up, it'll be interesting, but nobody at 3B is really blowing things out of the water and Tena at least an option.  Rosario doesn't and isn't completely sucking.  DeJong might be dead but I doubt is a factor if House comes up.  Nunez is the only passable backup SS but has already burned an option this year.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'm not sure Nunez blew an option this year. His call up was on on 4/12. If AI is right, a player must spend 20 days in the minors to burn an option.

This looks right:

A player who is on the 40-man roster but does not open the season on the 26-man roster or the injured list must be optioned to the Minor Leagues. Once an optioned player has spent at least 20 days in the Minors in a given season, he loses one of his options. Only one Minor League option is used per season, regardless of how many times a player is optioned to and from the Minors over the course of a given season. (Players may only be optioned five times per season; after that, it requires outright assignment waivers to assign the player to the Minor Leagues.)

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/minor-league-options

[Elvir Ovcina]

I'm not sure Nunez blew an option this year. His call up was on on 4/12. If AI is right, a player must spend 20 days in the minors to burn an option.

This looks right:https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/minor-league-options

That's right.  I didn't realize he came back up so quickly.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Once Young is back, I think these are the position players they go with through the ASB:

4 OF - Wood, Hassell, Lile, Call. Young for Lile when activated.
6 IF - Tena, Abrams, Garcia, Lowe, Rosario, Nunez. House for Nunez by mid-June.
1 DH - Bell.
2 C - Ruiz, Adams.

[rileyn]

Once Young is back, I think these are the position players they go with through the ASB:

4 OF - Wood, Hassell, Lile, Call. Young for Lile when activated.
6 IF - Tena, Abrams, Garcia, Lowe, Rosario, Nunez. House for Nunez by mid-June.
1 DH - Bell.
2 C - Ruiz, Adams.

You forgot Crews unless you think his injury will keep him out through the ASB

[Elvir Ovcina]

You forgot Crews unless you think his injury will keep him out through the ASB

Isn't that an oblique?  Those can take a couple months for even moderate ones.

Once Young is back, I think these are the position players they go with through the ASB:

4 OF - Wood, Hassell, Lile, Call. Young for Lile when activated.
6 IF - Tena, Abrams, Garcia, Lowe, Rosario, Nunez. House for Nunez by mid-June.
1 DH - Bell.
2 C - Ruiz, Adams.

I think this is what you meant, but that's just the current group plus one activation and one promotion.  The ASB is a long time away.  Someone else will get hurt.