Brzykcy (quad) is expected to begin the season on the injured list, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Brzykcy has made just one appearance this spring due to a right quad injury that appears to have lingered longer than expected. It's not clear how much time the reliever might miss.

Manager Dave Martinez said Sunday that Brzykcy is considered day-to-day due to a left leg injury, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander hasn't pitched in Grapefruit League action since making his spring debut Feb. 25, though he's recently thrown a few bullpen sessions. Assuming Brzykcy can soon progress to facing live batters, he may still have enough time to be ready for the start of the season.

The Nationals optioned Brzykcy to Triple-A Rochester on Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Brzykcy is clearing out to make space on the roster for Trevor Williams, who is back from the injured list to start Friday's game against the Cubs. The rookie reliever was roughed up for nine runs over 5.2 innings during his brief first stint in the big leagues.

The Nationals recalled Brzykcy from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Added to the 40-man roster over the winter, Brzykcy will now hit the big leagues for the first time as one of the Nationals' two September call-ups. Despite not making his 2024 debut late May, the hard-throwing right-handed reliever staged a successful recovery from Tommy John surgery, which cut short his 2023 season. Between stops with Rochester and Double-A Harrisburg this season, Brzykcy logged a 2.38 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 28:8 K:BB in 22.2 innings. While unlikely to unseat All-Star Kyle Finnegan as the Nationals' closer this season, Brzykcy could quickly move into a key setup role for Washington in the final month of the 2024 campaign.

Double-A Harrisburg reinstated Brzykcy (elbow) from its 60-day injured list Monday.

EDGE Analysis

Brzykcy has struck out two while allowing two hits and one walk over two scoreless innings across two appearances since making his 2024 debut for Harrisburg. The 24-year-old rejoined Harrisburg after recently finishing up a six-week rehab assignment at the Nationals' lower-level affiliates while he completed his recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last summer. The relief prospect has a spot on the Nationals' 40-man roster, but the organization likely isn't counting on Brzykcy making any major contributions to the big-league bullpen in 2024.

Brzykcy (elbow) began a rehab assignment Wednesday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, striking out two and allowing one run on one hit and no walks in a one-inning start.

EDGE Analysis

Brzykcy is nearing the finish line in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in April 2023. Prior to suffering the major elbow injury, Brzykcy flashed enough promise as a reliever in the minors for the Nationals to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft this past winter and add him to the 40-man roster. He'll likely need a few more rehab outings in lower levels of the minors to ramp back up before he's activated from Double-A Harrisburg's 60-day injured list, but the hard-throwing righty could eventually settle at Triple-A Rochester or even in the big-league bullpen later this season if he's quickly able to recapture his pre-injury form.

The Nationals optioned Brzykcy (elbow) to Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Brzykcy will head back to the minors after surrendering nine runs across 18 innings during spring training while striking out 18 batters and walking nine. The 24-year-old righty was dominant in Double-A in 2022 with a 1.89 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 38 frames and didn't allow a run in two Triple-A appearances upon being promoted at the end of the year. However, a forearm strain cost him the entire 2023 campaign, and Brzykcy underwent Tommy John surgery in June to address the issue. If Brzykcy is able to return to his 2022 form at Rochester once he fully recovers from his procedure, he could be a candidate to join Washington's bullpen at some point this season.

Double-A Harrisburg placed Brzykcy on its full-season injured list April 6.

EDGE Analysis

According to Andrew Golden of The Washington Post, Brzykcy was scheduled to meet with a doctor Wednesday before determining his next steps for treating a right forearm strain, but the Nationals have seemingly already ruled out the possibility of the 23-year-old pitching this season. With that in mind, Brzykcy is presumably in line to undergo a procedure of some sort, though it's not yet known if Tommy John surgery is in the cards. Regardless, the forearm injury is a tough setback for Brzykcy, one of the organization's more promising reliever prospects.