Evaluating DJ Herz After Bouncing Back from Injury with Nationals

2026 proved to be a tough season for Washington Nationals left handed pitcher DJ Herz.

After missing the entire 2025 season after recovering from Tommy John surgery following a UCL sprain in 2025 spring training, Herz slowly made his way back to the mound. After multiple rehab outing through the first half of the 2026 season, then being shut down in June after suffering a flexor muscle strain in his recovery and being shut down, the Nationals announced that Herz would be activated off the 60 day injured list with a late September appearance against the Detroit Tigers marking his first appearance in the MLB nearly two years prior to the day.

That materialized into a rough outing after Herz allowed one home run, four earned runs and five hits across four innings, including four strikeouts and a pair of walks. Herz followed it up with what proved to be his second and final appearance when he faced the New York Mets nearly one week later, allowing four earned runs agains and six hits across three innings. The concern was Herz's six combined strikeouts through seven innings and 128 total pitches, but after putting the injuries behind him, 2026 proved to mark a foundation for the starter to build on.

Herz's brief second season ended with a 2.00 WHIP and 10.29 ERA, two years after Herz recorded a 4-9 record with a 4.16 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across over 88 innings. With the focus on upgrading the pitching staff amid the need to add multiple starters, the pair of 2026 appearances adds a question where his role is in 2027.

With a need to elevate what could comfortably be the worst bullpen in baseball with the blown save record to show for it, whether Herz steps into a bullpen role in his third professional season could be the better question.

Though Herz showed stamina at times as a starter in 2024, it was far too infrequent and also came as he allowed four or more runs in two of his final five appearances to end the season. Given the bullpen struggles, the high leverage reliever could mitigate some of his command and stamina questions by becoming an in-house option to address a sore spot. Yet that could be a question for spring training to sort through with a chance for Herz to turn the page from his injury questions, now focused on becoming an impact piece along the Nationals' pitching staff.