Nationals' Cole Henry: Done for season with back strain
Rotowire
The Nationals placed Henry on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a back strain.
The injury will end Henry's season, but he should be fully recovered from the back issue early in the offseason. Henry became a high-leverage reliever for the Nationals this season, though that had more to do with the team's lack of other options rather than his performance. He finished with a 4.27 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 52:32 K:BB over 52.2 innings, picking up two saves and 10 holds along the way.
Henry notched a save against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.
Jose Ferrer had recorded each of Washington's previous five saves coming into Saturday, but he was summoned in the eighth frame to face the top of Chicago's order. That left the ninth inning for Henry, who worked around a one-out Cubs single to close out the contest. Henry has held the opponent scoreless in nine of his past 10 appearances, though he gave up three runs in his lone poor outing during that stretch. Ferrer remains the likely top option for saves in the Nationals' bullpen, but Henry appears to be next in line when Ferrer isn't available for the ninth.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Notches first career save
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Henry picked up the save Thursday against the Phillies, yielding one hit with one strikeout over a scoreless ninth inning.
It was reported that the 26-year-old rookie would be in the mix for saves after the Nationals traded closer Kyle Finnegan near the deadline. However, Jose Ferrer got the first save opportunity Aug. 9 while Henry pitched the eighth frame. Their roles reversed Thursday, with Ferrer handling setup duties while Henry recorded his first career save. He's allowed one run on four hits and two walks across 5.2 innings in August. Given that Ferrer is a southpaw and Henry is a right-hander, Washington could utilize a matchup-based approach to the closer role during the final stretch of the regular season.
Henry could be part of the ninth-inning mix for the Nationals with Kyle Finnegan having been traded to the Tigers, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
The 26-year-old rookie right-hander hasn't been particularly impressive this season, leaning on his mid-90s four-seam fastball and low-80s curve to post a 3.96 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 37:20 K:BB over 38.2 innings. No one in Washington's big-league 'pen has closer-worthy numbers though, so Henry might get a shot as part of a ninth-inning committee with lefty Jose Ferrer and righty Zach Brzykcy.
Henry gave up a hit and a walk while striking out one in a scoreless fifth inning Monday to record his third hold of the season in a win over the Reds.
Starter Jake Irvin didn't make it out of the fourth inning, and Henry was one of six Nationals relievers to take the mound in a wild 10-8 victory. The 26-year-old righty has been effective in his first big-league season, posting a 3.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 35:18 K:BB over 36 innings, and if closer Kyle Finnegan gets shipped out at the trade deadline, Henry could get an audition in the ninth inning down the stretch.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Stuck with one-pitch loss
Rotowire
Henry (0-1) took the loss Tuesday against the Mets, giving up an unearned run on one hit without retiring a batter.
Taking the mound in the bottom of the 10th inning with the score tied 4-4, Henry's first pitch was laced into right field by Jeff McNeil to bring home the phantom runner from second base. Henry has emerged as a reliable relief option for the Nationals this season, posting a 2.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 25:13 K:BB through his first 23.1 big-league innings, but he remains on the fringes of the team's high-leverage crew -- he has zero wins or saves and only two holds in 22 appearances.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Impressive start to MLB career
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Henry walked one and struck out four over two scoreless, no-hit relief innings in Thursday's loss to the Orioles.
The 25-year-old right-hander has had an injury-marred pro career since being selected in the second round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, but Henry has looked good so far in a relief role with the Nationals. Through four appearances, he has yet to allow a run while posting a 0.64 WHIP and 8:1 K:BB. Washington's bullpen remains unsettled behind closer Kyle Finnegan, so Henry has a clear path to a high-leverage spot if he can keep stacking zeros -- he entered Thursday's contest in the eighth inning with the Nats down by a run.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Fans two in major-league debut
Rotowire
Henry allowed one hit while striking out two in a scoreless eighth inning during Sunday's 11-4 loss to the Marlins.
Henry was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday after Orlando Ribalta (biceps) was placed on the 15-day injured list. Henry got the call in the eighth frame for his major-league debut, striking out two while tossing 14 pitches (11 strikes) without being tagged for a run despite giving up an RBI single to Griffin Conine. Henry spent most of his minor-league career as a starter, but he shifted to a bullpen role this season and could be deployed as a long man for Washington.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Set to join big club
Rotowire
The Nationals are expected to call up Henry from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
After missing much of the 2024 season due to a lat strain, Henry was medically cleared in advance of spring training and transitioned to a relief role as the Nationals looked to keep the oft-injured hurler healthy. He's now on the cusp of making his big-league debut after he tossed a pair of scoreless innings for Rochester while striking out four and giving up one hit and three walks. Expect Henry to be deployed in middle relief or as a long man out of the bullpen for Washington.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Officially recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Nationals recalled Henry from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.
Washington placed reliever Orlando Ribalta (biceps) on the 15-day injured list. Henry will be available out of Washington's bullpen and could make his major-league debut as soon as Sunday's game against Miami. A 2020 second-round draft pick, Henry had spent most of his minor-league career as a starter before shifting to the bullpen this season and tossing a pair of scoreless innings for Rochester prior to his call-up.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Nationals optioned Henry to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.
The right-hander missed the entire second half of the 2024 campaign due to a lat injury and has transitioned to long relief for 2025. Henry made five starts for Double-A Harrisburg last year prior to the injury and had a 3.95 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 13:9 K:BB across 13.2 innings.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Healthy for spring training
Rotowire
Henry (lat) has made two Grapefruit League appearances this spring, tossing three scoreless innings and scattering three hits and no walks while striking out seven.
The 25-year-old righty didn't pitch in the minors after June 26 last season due to a lat strain. Henry has worked as a starter for most of his minor-league career, but he told Andrew Golden of The Washington Post that he'll be making a move to long relief in 2025 as the Nationals aim to keep him healthy. Henry possesses a spot on the Nationals' 40-man roster but is most likely to open the campaign at Triple-A Rochester or Double-A Harrisburg despite his strong showing so far during spring training.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Sidelined at Double-A
Rotowire
Double-A Harrisburg placed Henry on its 7-day injured list May 9 with an unspecified injury.
Harrisburg deactivated Henry a week after he gave up three runs over a three-inning start versus Altoona on May 2. The 24-year-old right-hander was protected from the Rule 5 Draft over the winter and possesses a spot on the Nationals' 40-man roster, but he doesn't appear especially close to making his MLB debut. Henry turned in a 3.95 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 13:9 K:BB in 13.2 innings across his five starts for Harrisburg prior to landing on the IL.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Nationals optioned Henry to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.
Henry was added to the Nationals' 40-man roster this winter, but that move was made primarily to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft rather than being an acknowledgement that the 24-year-old right-hander is big-league ready. He looks like he'll at least get his first taste of the Triple-A level to begin the 2024 season, despite posting an ugly 10.31 ERA and 1.99 WHIP across 18.1 innings at Double-A Harrisburg in 2023. The Nationals are hopeful that he'll be able to resolve some of the command and control woes that plagued him at Double-A now that he's nearly 19 months removed from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in August 2022.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Selected to 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Nationals selected Henry to their 40-man roster Tuesday.
Henry missed a lot of time between the 2022-23 seasons while recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, but he's healthy now and will try to make his way back up the Nats' organizational prospect rankings in 2024. Being added to the 40-man roster means he'll be protected from selection in next month's Rule 5 Draft.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Activated from MiLB IL
Rotowire
Henry (shoulder) was activated from the minor-league injured list Tuesday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Henry will join the starting rotation at Double-A Harrisburg after completing his rehabilitation from August 2022 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The 23-year-old did a four-start rehab run with Low-A Fredericksburg and High-A Wilmington and posted an encouraging 1.20 ERA and 16:3 K:BB over 15 innings. He should eventually rise back to Triple-A Rochester.
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