Eaton went 5-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and four runs scored Saturday against the Reds.

EDGE Analysis

Eaton got the Nationals going with a leadoff single and the team didn't look back, scoring 13 runs by the end of the day. He stretched the lead to four with a solo home run in the seventh inning off of Austin Brice. The 29-year-old has a 2.153 OPS through the first two games of the season, a very positive start for a player who missed the majority of the 2017 season with a torn ACL.

Eaton believes the time off he needed while recovering from ACL surgery also allowed him to heal up some nagging injuries and issues that had been building up throughout his career, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 29-year-old has also adopted a new pre-game stretching routine, and Eaton feels the overall impact of the rest and reset will be to extend his career. "Sometimes you can get away with a lot with your body, especially being young," Eaton said Thursday. "I think this is going to give me longevity. Taking a step back, hopefully to be able to take a step forward. Taking a year off with my body and being able to put my body in a better position day in and day out, I think could be huge for me going forward." Eaton had averaged nearly 700 plate appearances in the two seasons prior to blowing out his knee in April last year, so durability shouldn't be a concern in 2018 as he gets ready for what should be his first full season with the Nats. Given his career .358 OBP and spot at the top of a dangerous lineup, he could also be headed for his first career season with 100 or more runs.

Eaton (knee) played four innings in his first game action of the spring Saturday against the Mets, going 1-for-2 with a solo home run.

EDGE Analysis

The 29-year-old has been on the shelf for nearly a year after tearing his ACL early last season, but he didn't look rusty Saturday, taking Rafael Montero deep in the third inning. A healthy Eaton will be the everyday left fielder for the Nats and should hit in a prime spot at the top of the batting order. Given the steep price the club paid to get him -- the White Sox acquired two-fifths of their Opening Day rotation in that deal -- Eaton will get every opportunity to thrive in Washington, but his track record has always painted him as a better real-life ballplayer than a fantasy asset.

Eaton (knee) expects to get into the lineup for the big-league club Saturday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

He played left field in a minor-league game Thursday, which marked the first time he was in the lineup in a minor-league game as anything other than a designated hitter. Eaton said he felt great in that game. There is still time for him to get enough reps to be ready for Opening Day if he avoids setbacks.

Eaton (knee) will play outfield in a minor-league game Thursday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Eaton has been limited to DH duties so far in spring training, but he's set to take the field for the first time Thursday. Assuming everything goes as planned, the hope is that the 29-year-old will be ready to make his Grapefruit League debut sometime over the weekend. He appears to be on track for Opening Day at this point, though this will certainly be a situation to monitor as he works his way back into game action in the coming weeks.

Eaton (knee) is set to appear in his first Grapefruit League action sometime over the weekend, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

Although Eaton has been able to log around 40 minor-league at-bats during the spring, he's finally set to see major league pitching sometime during the weekend. Eaton is expected to hit as well as take the field in his first Grapefruit League appearance. This is good news for Washington and it means he's likely on track to return for Opening Day, depending on how the knee responds.

Eaton (knee) may have his Grapefruit League debut delayed so that he can continue participating in team workouts, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Prior to this news, the Nationals hadn't specified a day for Eaton to appear in a Grapefruit League game. His rehab has been progressing well, as he's recently received at-bats in minor-league spring training games and remains on track to be active by Opening Day. However, the team is going to continue being careful with Eaton, who tore his ACL early last season, and have him participate in additional controlled workouts before returning to action.

Eaton (knee) has received at-bats in recent minor-league spring training games and could make his Grapefruit League debut soon, Dan Kolko of MASN Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's unclear as to exactly when the Nationals plan to bring Eaton back into the fold at the major-league level, but the fact that he's seeing action with the minor leaguers is certainly an encouraging sign. As things stand, it doesn't appear that Eaton will be required to open the 2018 season on the disabled list.

Eaton (knee) won't be playing in Grapefruit League games anytime soon, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Nationals seem to be taking a very cautious approach with Eaton and Michael Taylor (side), as the team is comfortable with the depth behind those two. If Eaton's absence from Grapefruit League play stretches into the third week of March, him opening the year on the DL will start to look like a real possibility. Victor Robles is easily the most appealing option behind Eaton and Taylor from a fantasy perspective.

Eaton (knee) still has no date picked out for a Grapefruit League debut, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Eaton, who tore his ACL during the early portion of 2017, has participated in all team drills without limitations thus far. However, the Nationals continue to play things very safely when it comes to getting him into game situations. Manage Dave Martinez said, "He looks good. We don't want to push him. Our biggest thing is getting him ready for Opening Day, and that's what we're shooting for." It would certainly be nice to see him get some reps in a game sooner rather than later, but it seems like the Nationals are grooming him to be ready for the regular season, whether he plays for a month of spring training or a week. At this point, Eaton seems to be on track to be 100 percent for Opening Day, but things should become clearer once he's actually able to appear in a game again.