Winker (illness) will start in left field and bat sixth in Thursday's game versus the Pirates.

EDGE Analysis

Winker has dealt with an illness this week but is feeling well enough to play Thursday. It's a bit of a surprise he's in the lineup at all since the Pirates are starting lefty Martin Perez, and the left-handed hitting Winker has a career .657 OPS versus southpaws.

Winker (illness) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Pirates, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Winker had to be removed from Monday's 8-4 loss to Pittsburgh due to an illness. Even after Tuesday's off day, Winker won't rejoin the lineup, though it's unclear whether he's still not feeling well or if he's just getting an extra day to rest up. Eddie Rosario will play left field and Victor Robles will be in center while Winker is on the bench.

Winker was removed from Monday's game against the Pirates due to illness, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

This is good news for the Nationals, as it likely means Winker will return within a day or two. The team should know more about Winker's availability for Wednesday after re-evaluating him Tuesday.

Winker was removed from Monday's game against the Pirates with an apparent injury, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Winker didn't suffer an obvious injury but was replaced in left field by Eddie Rosario to begin the top of the second inning. He didn't take an at-bat or have a ball hit to him before being lifted. The Nationals should provide more clarity on Winker's situation soon.

Winker went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double in Sunday's loss to the Reds.

EDGE Analysis

Facing the club he made his big-league debut with in 2017, Winker continues his hot start to the season but wasn't able to generate any production outside of his OBP. The 30-year-old has started all three games in left field for the Nationals so far while Eddie Rosario gets a look in center field, and Winker's 5-for-11 showing with a 2:3 BB:K should keep him in the lineup, even if he has only one run and one RBI to show for it so far.

The Nationals selected Winker to the major-league roster Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

The 30-year-old joined the Nationals as a non-roster invitee in February and earned a place on the Opening Day roster with a .932 OPS in 15 Grapefruit League games. Winker posted a .567 OPS with Milwaukee last season but was limited to 61 games while returning from neck and knee surgeries, and he'll likely need to be more productive in 2024 in order to stick around in Washington.

Winker could miss out on a big-league roster spot with the Nationals after the team added Eddie Rosario last week, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 30-year-old Winker looked like a good bet to break camp with the Nats when he signed an NRI deal in February, provided that he was healthy and could re-discover his old form at the plate. He's held up his end up that bargain so far, batting .350 (7-for-20) through nine spring games with two doubles and a 5:4 BB:K, but the Rosario signing likely bumps Joey Gallo from left field to first base and Joey Meneses from 1B to DH, seeming to leave little room for a defensively limited player like Winker.

Winker says his struggles last season were due to a prolonged recovery from multiple surgeries in the prior offseason, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 30-year-old underwent knee surgery in October 2022 and followed it up with disc replacement surgery in his neck, so it's perhaps not surprising in retrospect that he never seemed comfortable at the plate in 2023. "I think the recovery was a little bit harder than I thought it was going to be," Winker said Friday. "It took me a little bit longer than I thought, but I think I'm in a really good spot now. For me, that's all that matters. Obviously, I learned a lot going through those, and I'm happy I did." Winker signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals last week as he looks to make a comeback, and he posted a .305/.394/.556 slash line in 110 games for the Reds as recently as 2021. If he is 100 percent healthy again, he could quickly move into a regular role as the primary DH on a Washington roster in dire need of offense.

Winker signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Winker has been in a tailspin the last two seasons, slashing just .214/.337/.318 between the Mariners and Brewers while battling multiple injuries. The Nationals will hope the player who had an .888 OPS from 2017-21 can reemerge. Winker should be in the mix at designated hitter and left field against right-handed pitching.

Winker (quad/back) is on the Brewers' roster for their NL Wild Card Series matchup versus the Diamondbacks.

EDGE Analysis

Winker missed the final two months of the regular season due to back and quad injuries, but he has suddenly reemerged -- likely as a pinch-hitting option against righties -- for this best-of-three series against Arizona. The 30-year-old left-handed hitter owns a career .853 OPS versus right-handed pitching.