Sykora will undergo a UCL reconstruction on his right elbow in two weeks, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Sykora landed on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Harrisburg earlier this month with what had been referred to as triceps soreness, but subsequent testing revealed the need for a UCL repair. It's a huge blow to the Nationals and one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, as Sykora could be sidelined until 2027. The 21-year-old holds a 1.91 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 74:17 K:BB through 42.1 innings in the minors this season.
Nationals' Travis Sykora: Shut down with triceps injury
Rotowire
The Nationals announced Tuesday that Sykora was diagnosed with lower right triceps soreness and will be shut down for 2-to-3 weeks before throwing again, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Any arm issue is worrying for the 21-year-old pitching prospect, but the Nationals don't view Sykora's injury as a major concern. The triceps issue will keep Sykora from pitching in the All-Star Futures Game this weekend, however, and he appears unlikely to return to action for Double-A Harrisburg until at least early August. Across four different levels this season, Sykora has compiled a 1.91 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 74:17 K:BB through just 42.1 innings.
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Nationals' Travis Sykora: Not expected to miss much time
Rotowire
Sykora was lifted after one inning in his most recent start Saturday for Double-A Harrisburg due to an unspecified injury, but he's not expected to miss extended time, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
One of the top prospects in all of baseball, Sykora has made two starts for Harrisburg after he was promoted from High-A Wilmington in late June. Sykora struck out three of the four batters he faced in the first inning of Saturday's outing, but he was mysteriously pulled from the contest ahead of the second inning, with Harrisburg providing no explanation for his early exit. While details on the nature of Sykora's injury are still scarce, the 21-year-old right-hander doesn't appear to be dealing with anything overly concerning. That said, Sykora could miss out on a few starts, and the injury seems likely to keep him from pitching in the All-Star Futures Game this Saturday.
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Nationals' Travis Sykora: Promoted to Double-A
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Sykora has been promoted from High-A Wilmington to Double-A Harrisburg, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Sykora got a late start to the season while recovering from hip surgery, but he's been utterly dominant across three levels since returning to action, posting a 1.11 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and 70:11 K:BB over 40.2 innings covering 10 starts. The 21-year-old went six innings in his last start for just the second time in his pro career and is ready to test himself at the Double-A level for the first time. Sykora has emerged as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.
Sykora dazzled for High-A Wilmington on Thursday, striking out 10 without walking a batter over five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits.
The Nationals' top pitching prospect sat through a brief rain delay before the game began, but Sykora didn't bat an eye -- he struck out the side in the first inning and didn't allow a baserunner to get past second base over 79 pitches (55 strikes) before leaving the mound. The 21-year-old righty sports a 1.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP and stunning 32:2 K:BB over 18 innings since his promotion to High-A, and Washington may have little choice but to bump him up another level to Double-A in the near future just to try and find a challenge for him.
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Nationals' Travis Sykora: Heading to High-A
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Sykora is being promoted to High-A Wilmington, Bobby Blanco of MASN Sports reports.
The 21-year-old right-hander made just one appearance at Single-A Fredericksburg this season after recovering from offseason hip surgery, firing three perfect innings with four strikeouts and two walks Tuesday, and that was enough to prove to the Nationals that he is ready for his next challenge. Sykora could debut with the Blue Rocks this weekend, and a strong performance in the South Atlantic League might set him up for a bump up to Double-A before the end of the year.
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Nationals' Travis Sykora: Perfect at Single-A on Tuesday
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Sykora threw three perfect innings for Single-A Fredericksburg on Tuesday while striking out five.
The 21-year-old righty had a delayed start to the season as he recovered from offseason hip surgery, but Sykora has been dominant since being cleared to get back on the mound. After two appearances in the Florida Complex League in which he compiled a 14:1 K:BB through only five innings, Sykora got bumped up to Single-A and has kept rolling, producing a 0.00 ERA and 9:2 K:BB in six innings over two starts. His workload is still being monitored -- he threw only 42 pitches (29 strikes) Tuesday -- but another promotion to High-A could come quickly given the lack of a challenge Carolina League hitters are presenting him.
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Nationals' Travis Sykora: Ready to make 2025 Single-A debut
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Single-A Fredericksburg reinstated Sykora (hip) from its 7-day injured list Wednesday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Sykora made two rehab starts in the rookie-level Florida Complex League after recovering from hip labrum surgery, permitting just one run with a 14:1 K:BB over five innings. The 21-year-old has some of the best upside of any pitching prospect in the minors and will make his 2025 debut for Fredericksburg on Wednesday.
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Nationals' Travis Sykora: Dominates to begin rehab stint
Rotowire
Sykora (hip) struck out six in two innings for the Nationals' Florida Complex League affiliate Saturday, allowing one run on one hit and one walk.
Seeing his first game action of the year after undergoing hip labrum surgery this offseason, Sykora simply overmatched FCL hitters. The 21-year-old southpaw is the Nationals' top pitching prospect after a breakout 2024 campaign at Single-A Fredericksburg, and he'll likely be assigned to High-A Wilmington once his rehab stint is complete.
General manager Mike Rizzo said Thursday that Sykora likely won't be ready to pitch in games until May due to a hip injury, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Per Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports, the right-hander underwent "minor labrum surgery" this offseason. Sykora enjoyed a great season at Single-A Fredericksburg last year, finishing with a 2.33 ERA and 0.91 WHIP alongside a 129:27 K:BB across 85 innings. However, his hip will force him to miss the first portion of the 2025 minor-league season. Once the 20-year-old is healthy, the Nationals may elect to bump him up to High-A Wilmington given the success he had in his first year as a pro.
Nationals' Travis Sykora: Wrapping up breakout campaign
Rotowire
Sykora has a 2.51 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 101:22 K:BB through 16 starts (68 innings) for Single-A Frederickburg.
The right-hander, a third-round pick out of a Texas high school in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, didn't turn 20 years until late April, but he's been utterly dominant in his first pro campaign. Sykora has combined a fastball that sits 95-97 mph with a rapidly improving slider and splitter, and he's gotten stronger as the season has progressed -- he fired six perfect innings with 10 strikeouts against Carolina on Aug. 9, the first time in his career he'd worked more than five frames in a start. The Nationals won't push him up the ladder too quickly given his age, but a 2026 big-league debut isn't off the table if he continues developing at his current pace.
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