Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBI and a strikeout in Sunday's 12-3 loss to the Giants.

EDGE Analysis

After leading off in his first 16 appearances of the year, Hernandez hit sixth in Saturday's loss before moving up to the fifth spot in the lineup Sunday. The 31-year-old has responded well by going 4-for-8 in the last two games, and he now has five extra-base hits in his last six appearances. It's not yet clear whether he'll return to the leadoff spot at some point, but he's been productive while hitting in the heart of the order.

Hernandez will start at second base and hit seventh in Saturday's game against the Giants.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez occupied the leadoff spot in Washington's first 16 games of the season, but he went just 3-for-26 (.115) and did not take even one walk over his last six appearances. As a result, he will be bumped down the order for at least one game, and Lane Thomas will lead off for the Nationals instead.

Hernandez will start at second base and serve as Washington's leadoff man in Thursday's game at Pittsburgh.

EDGE Analysis

He's been included in the lineup for each of Washington's first eight games, drawing all of his starts out of the leadoff spot. Lane Thomas finished the 2021 campaign as the Nationals' table setter, but he'll sit Thursday for the third time this season and doesn't seem to have much hope of reclaiming the job at this time. Hernandez is hitting a solid .276 to begin the season, but he's drawn just one walk and has yet to record an RBI or attempt a stolen base.

Hernandez went 1-for-3 with a run scored in Tuesday's Grapefruit League finale against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran second baseman hit in the leadoff spot consistently all spring, batting .290 (9-for-31) with a .333 OBP and five runs scored in 10 games. Hernandez doesn't offer any speed at this stage of his career, going 1-for-2 on the basepaths between 2020 and 2021, but he did launch a career-high 21 homers last year, and the 31-year-old should be a solid source of runs hitting ahead of the likes of Juan Soto and Nelson Cruz in the Nationals' batting order.

Hernandez got the start at second base in Friday's Grapefruit League opener against the Marlins, hitting leadoff and going 0-for-1 with a walk and a run scored.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Dave Martinez trotted out a top of the order that could mirror what he uses in the regular season, with shortstop Alcides Escobar hitting second, Juan Soto hitting third as the Dh and first baseman Josh Bell batting cleanup. Nelson Cruz will likely factor into the mix as well, but Hernandez could be a solid source of runs batting ahead of that group on a regular basis. The veteran infielder is coming off a down year in which he slashed .232/.308/.386 over 149 games for Cleveland and the White Sox, but prior to 2021 Hernandez had posted an OBP better than .350 in four of the five previous seasons.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Tuesday that he'd like for Hernandez to emerge as the team's leadoff hitter in 2022, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez will presumably test out a few lineups during the Grapefruit League slate before settling on an ideal setup at the order, but if the switch-hitting Hernandez provides the Nationals with good at-bats in the spring, he sounds like he'll claim the table-setting role against both right- and left-handed pitching. The prospect of batting in front of Juan Soto could yield more runs from Hernandez, while perhaps also reigniting his involvement as a baserunner. After swiping no fewer than nine bags in any season from 2015 through 2019, Hernandez attempted just two steals across 897 plate appearances in the past two years combined.

Hernandez agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with the Nationals on Tuesday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez split 2021 between the Guardians and White Sox, and he hit .232/.308/.386 with 21 home runs, 21 doubles, 62 RBI and 84 runs in 149 games. He's primarily operated as a second baseman, but the Nationals could also give him a look at shortstop or the hot corner.

The White Sox aren't picking up Hernandez's $6 million option so he'll become a free agent, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez slashed .232/.309/.299 in 53 games with Chicago after the midseason trade. His season-long OPS of .694 was unremarkable, but second basemen with 20 home run power are far and few between in this year's free agent market. Thus, Hernandez figures to draw substantial interest and a respectable contract this winter.

Hernandez is on the bench once again for Game 2 of the ALDS against Houston

EDGE Analysis

Leury Garcia once again starts at second base as the White Sox look to even the series. Hernandez could see action when the series shifts to Chicago if Garcia, who went 0-for-3 in Game 1, contributes nothing Friday as well.

Hernandez is not in the lineup for Game 1 of the ALDS against the Astros on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez endured a tough time after coming over in a trade from Cleveland at the deadline, hitting just .232/.309/.299 in 53 games for his new team. Leury Garcia will be the second baseman in his absence.