Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Better in second outing
Rotowire
Rutledge did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk over 6.1 innings against the White Sox. He struck out two.
It was certainly a step in the right direction for Rutledge after he was tagged for seven runs in 3.2 innings in his debut outing against Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old right-hander will likely make one more start this season, currently scheduled for next week in Baltimore, as he looks to solidify a sport in the Nationals' 2024 rotation.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Picking up another start
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Rutledge is scheduled to make his next start Tuesday versus the White Sox in Washington.
Despite getting lit up by the Pirates for seven runs on 10 hits and one walk over 3.2 innings in his MLB debut this past Wednesday, Rutledge will be awarded a second straight turn through Washington's six-man rotation. If Rutledge delivers shows improvement Tuesday, he could make one more start for Washington before the 2023 campaign comes to a close. The 24-year-old righty could get the opportunity to compete for a spot in the Opening Day rotation next spring.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Officially debuting Wednesday
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Nationals manager Davey Martinez said Rutledge will make his major-league debut Wednesday against Pittsburgh, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Rutledge began the season with Double-A Harrisburg and has posted a 4.44 ERA and 1.51 WHIP through 50.2 innings since being promoted to Triple-A Rochester in June. The 24-year-old righty doesn't strike batters out at a particularly high rate (7.9 K/9), and he's struggled with walks (5.4 BB/9) since reaching Triple-A, so fantasy managers would be wise to temper expectations as Rutledge makes his first major-league start.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Promoted to Triple-A
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Rutledge was promoted Wednesday to Triple-A Rochester, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Rutledge was selected by the Nationals with the 17th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, but his prospect shine had faded over the last few years due to injuries and inconsistency. He has turned it all around this season, delivering a 3.16 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 68.1 innings (12 starts) at Double-A Harrisburg to earn the bump to Triple-A. The 24-year-old right-hander could perhaps get the call to Washington before the end of the 2023 campaign and should be a consideration for the Opening Day rotation in 2024.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Going deep into games at Double-A
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Rutledge has gone exactly six innings in each of his last five starts for Double-A Harrisburg, logging a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 26 strikeouts in 30 innings.
Given that Rutledge has a middling 14.7 K-BB% and a similarly mediocre 35.9 percent groundball rate, it's hard to project a high ceiling for the 6-foot-8 righty. The No. 17 overall pick in 2019, Rutledge had only two-thirds of an inning above Single-A under his belt coming into the year, so it's encouraging that he is having success while going deep into games in the upper levels of the minors.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Heads to Double-A
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The Nationals optioned Rutledge to Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday,Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Rutledge pitched at Low-A Fredericksburg in 2022 but will make the jump to Harrisburg to start 2023. The first-round pick has been a disappointment so far in his three years of pro ball.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Added to 40-man roster
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Rutledge was added to the Nationals' 40-man roster Tuesday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
At his very best, the No. 17 overall pick from the 2019 draft looks completely dominant, but injuries and poor control have really limited Rutledge's development. He made 20 starts last season at Single-A as a 23-year-old -- a level at which he made six starts in 2019 -- so if anything Rutledge has regressed in recent years. Given his lack of refinement or upper-level experience, it may make sense to eventually develop the 6-foot-8 righty as a reliever.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Debuting at Single-A
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Rutledge (biceps) will make his season debut at Single-A Fredericksburg on Thursday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Rutledge was slowed during spring training by biceps soreness and spent the first month of the season on the injured list. While the right-hander will presumably have his workload monitored early, it's encouraging he's now been cleared to return to game action, particularly after being limited to 13 games due to injuries last year.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Working through biceps soreness
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Nationals manager Dave Martinez said last week that Rutledge has been slowed by biceps soreness during spring training, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Washington invited the right-hander to big-league spring training, but he didn't see any use during the Grapefruit League slate while tending to the injury. While Martinez noted that Rutledge hasn't been shut down and has been doing some throwing of late, he'll likely open the season on the injured list at Low-A Fredericksburg or High-A Wilmington. The biceps issue is the latest in a growing list of injuries that have slowed Rutledge's development since he was selected in the first round of the 2019 first-year player draft.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Suffers setback with blister
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Low-A Fredericksburg returned Rutledge (finger) to the 7-day injured list Wednesday after he suffered a recurrence of a blister on his pitching hand during his start Tuesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Rutledge was on the shelf for about two weeks due to the blister before gaining clearance to start Tuesday's contest, but he faced only five hitters before bowing out of the contest. The Nationals could opt to shut Rutledge down for a longer period of time following the setback, which may make it a challenge for the 22-year-old to make another appearance before season's end. Through three starts with Fredricksburg this season, Rutledge has worked 9.1 innings and has given up six earned runs on eight hits and five walks while striking out 13.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Out with blister
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Rutledge is on the 7-day injured list with Low-A Fredericksburg with a blister, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
He's coming off his best start of the year -- five shutout innings with seven strikeouts on July 29. Rutledge has had a disaster of a season on the whole, as the 22-year-old righty logged a 12.66 ERA in four starts (10.2 innings) at High-A before missing time with a shoulder injury and then getting a soft landing with an assignment to Low-A. Ideally, he will return soon from the blister and be able to finish the season strong while staying healthy. He's a candidate to head to the Arizona Fall League after the minor-league season.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Activated from MiLB IL
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Rutledge (shoulder) was activated from the 7-day minor-league injured list July 20 and assigned to Low-A Fredericksburg. Rutledge made his first start for Fredericksburg on Friday, giving up seven runs (six earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out four over three innings.
Rutledge was sidelined for about a month and a half with a sore right shoulder before he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment July 9 in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. He made two starts in the FCL before he was assigned to Fredericksburg. Though Rutledge was blown up in his first outing with the affiliate, the Nationals are likely just happy to see the 2019 first-round pick back on the mound again.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Begins rehab program
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Rutledge (shoulder) has resumed a rehab program at the Nationals' spring training facility in Florida after being placed on the 7-day injured list at High-A Wilmington on June 2, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports.
The Nationals aren't viewing Rutledge's right shoulder injury as a major concern, but because the 22-year-old is one of the more prized pitching prospects in the organization, he'll be brought along slowly in his recovery. Rutledge made four starts for Wilmington before landing on the shelf, posting a 12.66 ERA and 2.55 WHIP across 10.2 innings.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Gets assigned to High-A
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Rutledge will begin the season at High-A Wilmington, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports.
This is a shockingly conservative assignment for the 2019 first-round pick, but the Nats appear to be taking a far more cautious approach with their top pitching prospects than other organizations after a lost minor-league season. Rutledge will join Cade Cavalli in the Wilmington rotation, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see both get a quick promotion to Double-A if they overmatch opposing hitters. Starting the year three levels from the majors likely rules out both right-handers from making their big-league debuts in 2021, however.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Impressive in spring debut
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Rutledge struck out Jeff McNeil and Dominic Smith in a 1-2-3 third inning during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
Brandon Nimmo reached base to begin the frame, but Rutledge picked him off before shutting down two of New York's best young hitters, getting McNeil with a 96 mph fastball and Smith with his slider. The tall right-hander was the Nats' first-round pick in 2019, and while it might take a rash of injuries to push him into the big leagues this season, Rutledge could be knocking on the door of a rotation spot in 2022.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Joining big-league camp
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The Nationals announced Wednesday that Rutledge will be invited to big-league spring training as a non-roster player.
The 21-year-old didn't appear in affiliated ball in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor-league season, but he was still able to continue his development at the Nationals' alternate training site in Fredericksburg and in the instructional league during the fall. The right-hander -- who is widely regarded as one of the top arms in the Washington system -- is expected to spend most of the upcoming season in the upper levels of the minors.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Added to 60-man pool
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Rutledge is part of the 60-man player pool for the Nationals, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
The club's top mound prospect is with the team for developmental purposes only, as Rutledge has yet to pitch above Low-A as a pro. The 2019 first-round pick was impressive last year, posting a 2.30 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 31:11 K:BB in 27.1 innings for Low-A Hagerstown, but even if Nats coaches like what they see from him during the upcoming campaign, Rutledge isn't likely to make his big-league debut until at least 2021.
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Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Finding footing in pros
Rotowire
Rutledge struck out three over four perfect innings for short-season Auburn on Sunday.
The Nats' first-round pick in this year's draft, Rutledge made all of one start in the Gulf Coast League before getting bumped up to the New York-Penn League, and the right-hander was absolutely dazzling in his third appearance for the Doubledays. Given his intimidating 6-foot-8 frame and advanced arsenal that includes a mid-90s fastball and three off-speed pitches, the 20-year-old Rutledge could get another promotion before the year is out if he continues dominating.
