(Detroit, MI) - Left handed pitcher DJ Herz’s first Major League start in more than a year did not produce the result he wanted. But for the Washington Nationals, the left-hander’s return to the mound Monday night in Detroit was still one of the most meaningful developments of the season’s final road trip.
Herz allowed four runs on five hits over four innings in the Nationals’ 9–2 loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park. He struck out four, walked two and surrendered one home run while throwing 63 pitches, 39 for strikes.
The numbers were uneven, particularly after an eventful first inning. But Herz’s return carried significance far beyond one September box score. After a 17-month recovery process that included Tommy John surgery and a setback during his minor-league rehabilitation assignment, Herz was once again facing Major League hitters and beginning to show signs that his pre-injury stuff could be returning.
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