Nationals OF Dylan Crews makes season debut versus Mets; Washington 3B Brady House demoted
WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews is back in the majors, less than two months after a surprise demotion near the end of spring training. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday as part of a roster shuffle.
Washington also recalled Andrés Chaparro from Rochester and optioned outfielder Joey Wiemer to the Red Wings. The Nationals optioned opening day third baseman Brady House to Rochester after Monday’s 12-inning, 16-7 loss to the New York Mets . Crews hit .
258 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 41 games in the minors this season. He was set to bat sixth and play center Tuesday against the Mets. “You’re never trying to think about being called back up,” Crews said.
“I was just so focused on the process down there and trying to stack good days down there and be present as much as I could. ” Paul Toboni, the Nationals’ first-year president of baseball operations, said Crews’ hitting had started to click in the last three weeks. That came after Crews started slow in Rochester after hitting .
103 with no extra-base hits in 29 spring training at-bats. “While the results on the surface line haven’t really jumped out, kind of under the hood he’s had a lot of really good at-bats and hit the ball really hard,” Toboni said. Washington will be tasked with finding playing time for four outfielders.