MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Washington Nationals Dylan Crews is poised to start his long-anticipated rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester as early as Tuesday, marking the crucial final phase before he rejoins the Nationals' active roster. After missing two months due to a strained left oblique muscle, the cautious approach adopted by the Nationals has ensured that Crews ticks off every step in his recovery process. The Rochester Red Wings are kicking off with a road series in Charlotte this week, which will serve as his rehab assignment as of now.
Reflecting on the recovery timeline, Crews acknowledged, “I know it took maybe a little bit longer than some people would’ve wanted it to, but we’re trying to make sure it’s all right, and that way we don’t have to restart and have to do this whole thing all over again.” Before this rehab step, he spent weeks engaging in batting practice, defensive drills, and baserunning, and recently added live pitching to his routine.
The injury, which occurred on May 20 during a checked swing, led Dylan Crews to the 15-day injured list before moving to the 60-day IL to make roster space. The rehab assignment starts roughly 10 weeks post-injury, paralleling a similar rehab timeline experienced by minor leaguer Andrés Chaparro this season.
Understanding the importance of regaining gameplay rhythm, Crews said, “Obviously, I want results, but at the same time, you’ve got to remember I haven’t played in however long it was, a couple months or so. I’m not too worried about results-wise right now. These are free at-bats, in my mind. Go out there and treat it almost like spring training.”
Despite frustration from this unprecedented time on the injured list, the first-round pick from 2023 sees value in the months sidelined: “I’ve never really been on this side of baseball before. I’ve never sat out this long. You see things completely different when you’re on the bench... The game completely slows down. You see why guys are good. You see how you can implement that into your game.”
Before the injury, Crews was starting to find his swing, hitting 5-for-14 with two home runs and five RBIs, lifting his batting average to .196 and OPS to .620. Now, as he embarks on this rehab assignment, those experiences and insights gained from observing the game from the sidelines could inform his return and future performance.