The Washington Nationals’ trip out west has gone from bad to worse, and Monday in San Diego did little to change that. After getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend with a string of late losses, the Nationals dropped another one, falling 3-2 to the Padres. Dylan Crews’ two-run homer was the only thing that kept it close.
Even amid the skid, the biggest new development came away from the box score. Backup catcher Drew Millas is now dealing with another setback in his recovery from a left index finger injury that has lingered for more than a year.
Millas landed on the Injured List in the middle of July, but his situation appears to be trending in the wrong direction. According to Spencer Nusbaum, “Drew Millas is headed back to DC and will seek a second opinion, but it sounds likely that he’ll have another surgery on his finger.”
The finger issue has been a major obstacle for Millas all season. He reportedly wasn’t even able to wrap his index finger around the bat, and the numbers at the plate reflected the problem. In 2026, he hit just .185/.277/.262 with a .539 OPS and an OPS+ of 50.
This isn’t the first time the injury has forced him off track. Millas had surgery on the finger in late August of 2025 and missed the rest of that season, then re-aggravated the problem at some point earlier this year. He tried to keep playing through the pain before finally going on the Injured List in July.
With Millas sidelined, former top catching prospect Harry Ford has been getting extended playing time in his place.
The setback is a tough one for Millas, who had been viewed by many as a possible dark horse candidate to open the year as the Nationals’ starting catcher before Keibert Ruiz’ resurgence changed that picture. Now the focus shifts to Washington and the second opinion, with another surgery seemingly on the table.
In Other News...
Nationals Just Got A Key Arm Back With Big Questions Ahead
Connelly Early is back on the mound for the Nationals, beginning his return from injury with his first rehab start in the Bridge League, a controlled setting the club uses to help develop pitchers while keeping a close eye on workload. For Washington, it is another encouraging step for a left-hander whose stuff and trajectory have made him worth monitoring, especially after a year in which his progress has been slowed by injuries.
The timing, though, still leaves plenty unsettled. Early had initially been lined up for a Low-A playoff appearance before the Nationals shifted him to the Bridge League to better manage how much he throws, a small but telling sign of how carefully they are handling him now. Even with the setback in the rearview, there remains real uncertainty about whether he will make it to the majors before seasons end, and the most optimistic path still looks limited. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Got A Notable Roster Hint In Tuesdays Notes
Rochester kept rolling with a 3-1 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, getting useful innings from Andry Lara, Kyle Nicolas and Gus Varland while Sam Petersen and Leandro Pineda supplied the offense. The lower levels kept giving Washington reasons to pay attention, too, as Harrisburg gets set for a trip to New Hampshire with a chance to finish above .500 and Fredericksburg heads into the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak before opening a best-of-three series in North Carolina.
There was also a small roster note tucked into Tuesdays updates that stood out to Nationals followers, especially with the big league club always looking for help from within. The move adds another arm to keep an eye on, and it comes as the organizations affiliates continue to sort out late-season roles, momentum and possible next steps with the year winding down. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals May Have Found A Bullpen Piece Fans Didn't See Coming
The Nationals added a quietly intriguing bullpen name just before the trade deadline, sending outfielder Christian Franklin to Baltimore in a deal for reliever Joe Glassey. The move did not land with the kind of fanfare that usually follows a late-July swap, but Glassey has already started to make his case in the organization, moving from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Rochester while putting together a string of scoreless appearances.
For a Washington club still sorting through the edges of its relief picture, that kind of quick rise matters. Glasseys arsenal has drawn enough attention to keep him on the radar, and the early returns suggest the Nationals may have found a pitcher who can push for real bullpen consideration sooner rather than later, even if the next step in his path is still the part everyone wants to see play out. [Read more 🡒]