Gray goes back on 60-day IL with flexor strain
Josiah Gray's long path back to the majors hit a major roadblock this evening when the Nationals recalled him from Triple-A and placed him on the injured list
Josiah Gray’s path back to the majors just hit another major roadblock.
The Nationals placed Gray on the 60-day injured list this evening with a right flexor strain, a crushing blow for the club’s 2024 Opening Day starter, who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues in nearly two years.
Gray had been optioned to Triple-A Rochester only four days ago, saying he was healthy and eager to build up his workload again before an anticipated promotion back to D.C. at some point. Instead, the Nats had to recall him from the minors and place him on the 60-day IL, suggesting this ailment was already plaguing him before the demotion.
The right-hander is now required to miss at least the season’s first two months. Given how careful the team has been with him throughout his long rehab process, it wouldn’t be surprising if it takes even longer than that for him to return.
An All-Star in 2023, Gray got the Nationals’ Opening Day assignment in 2024 but struggled in that outing in Cincinnati and again his next time on the mound before landing on the IL with what was initially diagnosed as a flexor strain. He attempted to rehab from that ailment but experienced elbow pain shortly before his anticipated return that summer, and a subsequent MRI revealed a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament.
Gray underwent both Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure in July 2024, then spent more than a year recovering and rehabbing. He made three minor-league starts in September, feeling healthy but with a fastball that barely broke 90 mph. He saw those numbers begin to tick up this spring, topping out at 94 mph in his first Grapefruit League appearance, but he acknowledged it was still not consistently back to the level he wanted.
The Nationals decided to demote him to Triple-A last week, giving him more time to build up his arm strength and pitch in a more controlled environment before calling him back up to join their major-league rotation.
Gray was hopeful it wouldn’t be long before that happened.
“I feel so close to being the pitcher I was before,” he said Thursday in West Palm Beach. “I think the last thing we all want to see come back a little bit better is velocity, and sustain that. But I know my stuff is there. My cutter and the breaking balls are in the right spot. … It’s just the day-to-day, focusing on mechanics, focusing on building up, focusing on the little things that I know are going to make me a better pitcher than I was before. And I think that’s all within range. I just have to stay focused on the day-to-day work and get the job done.”
The Nationals also announced reliever Paxton Schultz was placed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation this evening. The right-hander had not appeared in a Grapefruit League game since Feb. 28 but had resumed throwing off a bullpen mound in recent days.
The club then purchased the contract of left-hander Cionel Pérez, who had been in camp on a minor-league deal after signing late. Pérez, who will be part of the Opening Day bullpen, takes over the 40-man roster spot that opened up when Gray landed on the 60-day IL.
He is a stand up guy, and has been almost an ambassador the team in charity work. I'm very sad to see this news.
That really stinks! I feel for the guy! Hope he can get right somehow.