The Washington Nationals have optioned multiple players and placed a pair, including Josiah Gray, on the injured list
The Washington Nationals are inching closer toward Opening Day with just three days until they take the field at Wrigley Field to face the Chicago Cubs with a 2:20 PM opening pitch set. But before they get there, manager Blake Butera and president of baseball operations Paul Toboni have to finalize the 40-man roster after making several moves on Monday.
The first move materialized earlier in the day with outfielder Christian Franklin and right handed pitcher Orlando Ribalta optioned to Triple A Rochester. Franklin finished fourth on the team with 18 appearances and 11th with 32 at bats, hitting .240 with an RBI and 12 strikeouts. With the starting outfield now appeared to be set now that Dylan Crews will join Franklin in Rochester, he'll look to work his way back up in 2026. Ribalta appeared in seven games and posted a 1-0 record with a 1.23 ERA with the lone run allowed back against the Houston Astros back on March 8.
But maybe the most crushing of all the news on Monday was the Nationals announcement that right handed pitcher Josiah Gray will be placed on the 60-day injured list just days after being among the latest batch of players sent down to Triple A Rochester. In 4.2 innings and a pair of appearances this spring, Gray allowed just three hits against five strikeouts while walking three total batters.
Gray, an All Star selection in 2023 two years after being traded to the organization, has not pitched in the big leagues since 2024 in another blow on his road to recovery. He missed the entire 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery with the latest diagnosis marking the latest derailment in his career with Gray now set to miss the first two months of the regular season.
With Gray sidelined, the Nationals announced that the contract of left handed pitcher Cionel Pérez has been selected with him officially on the 40-man roster. Through seven appearances and seven innings pitched in spring training, Perez finished 13th on the team with seven strikeouts against one walk and two hits allowed while he is one of seven Nationals pitchers to pitch at least five innings and not allow an earned run. Perez initially joined the organization on a minor league contract signed back on Feb. 14.
The Nationals also announced that right handed pitcher Paxton Schultz has been placed on the 15 day injured list retroactive to March 22 with right elbow inflammation. Schultz last appeared on the mound back on Feb. 28 against the New York Mets, his third consecutive appearance pitching exactly one inning, where he allowed a hit and earned run.