September may not change the Nationals’ place in the standings, but it can still change the shape of their roster. For Dylan Crews, Harry Ford and Abimelec Ortiz, this month is less about a finish line and more about whether they can force their way into Washington’s long-term plans.
Crews is the most familiar name in that group, and also the one carrying the most baggage. The former LSU star has flashed the tools that made him the number 2 overall pick, but the production has come in fits and starts.
He can deliver a moment like the walk-off against the Marlins, then go quiet right after it. In the three games since that hit, Crews has gone hitless, which has become a frustrating pattern for him.
The numbers tell the same story. Crews is hitting .216 with a .643 OPS this season, and across 741 career at bats he is a .213 hitter with a .638 OPS.
He put together an OPS over .800 in July, so there is still a path to a stronger finish, but he has to do it now. If he doesn’t, it is hard to imagine him keeping the kind of everyday role he has had this season, especially with James Wood, Daylen Lile and Jacob Young already looking better.
Crews could even end up as a trade chip this offseason if the final month doesn’t go his way.
Ford’s situation is different, but the pressure is real. Washington traded for him in the offseason, and plenty of people expected him to become the starting catcher quickly.
That has not happened. Keibert Ruiz has reclaimed his spot, and Ford has not matched the power he showed last year.
His path to the majors started rough in Rochester, where he posted a .531 OPS in April. He improved each month after that, including OPS marks over .800 in both June and July, which earned him a call-up.
In the big leagues, he has brought some encouraging signs. His defense has been about average, which is better than expected, and his chase rate sits at just 18.7%, a big reason he is walking over 12% of the time.
But the offensive ceiling still looks limited right now. Ford’s .697 OPS is acceptable for a rookie, but the lack of slugging stands out.
His average exit velocity in the majors is only 83.5 MPH, and that is a concern for a player whose contact ability is only average. There is a lot of blue on his Baseball Savant page, and he needs a strong September to look like more than a placeholder.
This offseason matters too, because he has to find a way to hit the ball harder and show more bat speed.
Ortiz brings a different kind of profile to the table. The 24 year old first baseman has the power and bat speed to change games, and he showed that right away by hitting 5 homers and batting over .300 in his first 14 games. That start made the 1B job look like his to lose.
Lately, though, the holes in his game have shown up. Ortiz is chasing too much and not putting together quality at bats.
His chase rate in the big leagues is 37.4%, which is far too high for the kind of hitter he is supposed to be. He is also swinging more often in the majors, jumping from a 45.6% swing rate in AAA to 51.4% in the show.
Ortiz is never going to be a big walk guy, but he has to do better than a walk rate under 5%. The power is real, but it won’t matter as much if he keeps giving away plate appearances. He still has a chance to reclaim the first base job, but this month has to show he can adjust.
The Nationals may be out of the race, but these games still carry weight for Crews, Ford and Ortiz. Each one has talent.
Each one has questions. September will help decide how loudly Washington believes in them going forward.
In Other News...
Nationals Farm System Suddenly Has A Health And Depth Story To Watch
The Nationals farm system had a little bit of everything in one night, from a rough outing in Harrisburg to a clean win in Wilmington and another productive offensive showing in Fredericksburg. Harrisburg fell 7-3 to Altoona after Josh Randall ran into trouble on the mound, while Wilmington handled Hudson Valley 5-0 behind a strong pitching effort that had the game moving along like a showcase for organizational depth.
Wilmington also had a more noteworthy development attached to the box score, since the clubs pitching mix may be getting thinner in the short term. Josiah Gray was transferred to MLB rehab from Wilmington, which puts even more attention on how the Nationals manage the arms moving through the system while the upper levels try to stay steady and the lower levels keep producing. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Tough Call With Their Top Prospect
The Nationals gave their September roster a small jolt by bringing up rookies Yohandy Morales and Jared Simpson, but the move also drew attention to the player who stayed put. Seaver King, Washingtons top prospect, was not part of the call-up group, even as the organization continues to monitor his development and weigh when the right time might be to give him his first major league shot.
Paul Toboni suggested King is nearing that point, but the timing remains murky as the club balances readiness with broader roster considerations. There is also the added wrinkle of the looming MLB lockout, which could shape how Washington handles Kings path and whether the Nationals want to start his service-time clock before the end of 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Big Jarlin Susana Question After His Return
Jarlin Susana has long been one of the more intriguing arms in the Nationals system, a power pitcher whose fastball and slider have made him a highly regarded prospect. After a stretch interrupted by injuries, he has recently returned to pitching following surgery, giving Washington a fresh look at one of its most talented young arms and a reminder of how much upside still sits in the pipeline.
The bigger question now is what comes next for Susana once he is fully back on the mound. The Nationals have not said they intend to move him out of a starting role, but the conversation around his future has grown louder because of the physical wear he has already absorbed. For a club trying to map out its next wave of pitching, Susanas path is one to watch closely. [Read more 🡒]