Herz (elbow) threw a bullpen session Friday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's the first time the left-hander has thrown from the bump since he underwent Tommy John surgery last April. Herz has already been placed on the 60-day injured list, and given where he is in his throwing program, a return around midseason is probably a best-case scenario.

The Nationals announced Wednesday that Herz (elbow) is continuing to progress in his throwing program, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Back on Feb. 21, MLB.com reported that Herz had been playing catch at a distance up to 150 feet, but it's unclear if he remains limited to throwing off flat ground or if he's since graduated to throwing off a mound. Regardless, after landing on the 60-day injured list, Herz is slated to miss the first two months of the 2026 campaign -- and likely some additional time beyond that -- while he continues to work his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent April 16, 2025.

The Nationals placed Herz (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The move clears a spot on Washington's 40-man roster for Miles Mikolas, who signed a one-year deal with the club Wednesday. It's unclear how close Herz is to beginning a throwing program after undergoing Tommy John surgery last April, but he's expected to make his season debut sometime around the All-Star break.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez confirmed that Herz (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery Wednesday in Dallas, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

TalkNats.com was first to report earlier Wednesday that Herz had decided to undergo the season-ending procedure, though it wasn't immediately clear when the surgery would take place. Rather than scheduling surgery for a later date, Herz elected to have the operation performed by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister, whom he had recently visited for a second opinion on the partially torn UCL in his left elbow. Martinez noted that Herz's surgery didn't involve the insertion of an internal brace, so he'll likely be in line for a 14-to-18-month rehab process rather than a 12- or 13-month recovery. The 24-year-old is thus unlikely to be ready to contribute for the Nationals until around the middle of the 2026 season.

Herz (elbow) plans to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, TalkNats.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

After being diagnosed with a partial UCL sprain in his left elbow shortly before Opening Day, Herz was shut down for three weeks with the hope that some extended rest and rehab would allow him to pitch through the injury. Ultimately, after receiving two additional medical opinions on his elbow, Herz has decided that surgery is his best option. Herz will likely go under the knife in the coming days, and assuming no other additional damage is detected during surgery beyond the compromised UCL, he should be able to pitch again at some point around the All-Star break next season.

Herz will receive a second opinion on his injured left elbow from Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Herz has been diagnosed with a sprained UCL, and he will determine after his visit with Dr. Meister whether to undergo surgery or attempt to rest and rehab the injury. If the southpaw does go under the knife, he could be sidelined until around the middle of next season.

The Nationals transferred Herz (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Herz was diagnosed with a sprained UCL in his left elbow Tuesday, which typically leads to season-ending surgery. The 24-year-old southpaw may attempt to rehab the injury before resorting to surgery, but he's due for an extended absence either way. He'll cede his spot on the 40-man roster to right-hander Brad Lord, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Rochester.

Herz has been diagnosed with a left elbow UCL sprain, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Herz's velocity was down this spring, which originally attributed to a "dead arm" phase. However, as it turns out, he's dealing with an injury that often requires season-ending UCL surgery, although it's not yet clear whether Herz might try the rest-and-rehab route first. At minimum, the lefty is likely to be out a few months, and in all likelihood, much longer.

Herz was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday due to an undisclosed injury, per MLB's transactions log.

EDGE Analysis

The team failed to mention that Herz was dealing with an injury prior to optioning him to Triple-A Rochester on Friday, so this transaction is a bit curious. Washington will presumably have more details on the nature of the 24-year-old's injury in the near future.

The Nationals optioned Herz to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

Herz will miss the cut for Washington's Opening Day rotation and wrap up Grapefruit League play with nine runs allowed (seven earned) over 9.2 innings. The 24-year-old southpaw posted a 4.16 ERA across 19 starts with the big club last season, and if he's able to return to form in Triple-A, he could rejoin the Nationals at some point this summer.