Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Going deep into games at Double-A
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Heads to Double-A
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Added to 40-man roster
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Debuting at Single-A
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Working through biceps soreness
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Returns from IL
Rotowire
Rutledge (finger) made his return from Low-A Fredericksburg's 7-day injured list Aug. 31 and started Thursday for the affiliate, working 1.1 innings while giving up six runs (four earned) on four hits and one walk.
Rutledge was back in action after a blister on his pitching hand had kept him sidelined since Aug. 10. The 22-year-old has endured a rough season between his stops at three minor-league affiliates, posting a collective 10.08 ERA and 1.96 WHIP across 25 innings.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Suffers setback with blister
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Out with blister
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Activated from MiLB IL
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Initiates rehab assignment
Rotowire
Rutledge (shoulder) began a rehab assignment with the Nationals' Florida Complex League affiliate Friday, giving up two runs on one hit and one walk while striking out one over one inning.
The appearance was Rutledge's first since May 21 after a sore right shoulder had kept him out of action for more than six weeks. The 22-year-old may need another outing or two in the FCL to build up his pitch count before he's activated from High-A Wilmington's 7-day injured list.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Begins rehab program
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Out with shoulder injury
Rotowire
Rutledge was removed from Friday's start for High-A Wilmington with right shoulder discomfort, Todd Dybas of Inside the Clubhouse reports.
Rutledge threw 17 pitches and recorded one out before exiting with the injury and will be evaluated Saturday. Something certainly seems to be off for the 22-year-old righty, as he has given up 15 earned runs with a 10:9 K:BB in 10.2 innings over four starts at High-A.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Gets assigned to High-A
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Impressive in spring debut
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Joining big-league camp
Rotowire
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.
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.
