Young Washington Nationals Pitcher Has Been Bright Spot in Second Half

DJ Herz has been the lone bright spot in the starting rotation for the Washington Nationals since the All-Star break.

Aug 31, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher DJ Herz (74) prepares to throw a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Nationals Park. / Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

As the Washington Nationals head into the final stretch of the season, the goal is to play spoiler and continue to have their young roster gain experience.

Recently, the Nationals just finished up a series against the New York Mets, as they got a taste of New York baseball with a playoff spot on the line. The Mets were able to handle Washington rather easily, as New York played some excellent baseball.

While the series didn’t go well at all for the Nationals, these types of atmospheres are huge for a team that could make a big jump next season.

To finish up the year, Washington will be on the road for three games against the Chicago Cubs, and then will be facing two potential playoff teams, the Kansas City Royals and the Philadelphia Phillies. Considering the Phillies are still battling the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record, they still might be trying hard to end the campaign.

In the second half of the year, the youth movement has certainly been on full effect for the Nationals. Players like Dylan Crews and James Wood got the call-up to the majors, and there is a lot of reasons to be excited about what the lineup will look like next year.

Furthermore, while the lineup is young and full of promise, the young pitching staff for the Nationals hasn’t shown a ton yet for the most part. In the second half of the season, Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker, and MacKenzie Gore all haven’t pitched great, as Irvin and Parker have had ERA’s over 5.00 since the All-Star break.

While the majority of the rotation is struggling since the break, one bright spot has been DJ Herz. In the second half of the year, Herz has arguably been the best starting pitcher on the team, as he has totaled a 3-5 record, 3.78 ERA, and is averaging over a strikeout per inning pitched.

At just 23-years-old, Herz is the youngest of the bunch for Washington in the rotation and there is a lot to like about how he’s performed in the second half of the year.

As the season comes to a close, the young southpaw is only scheduled to make one more start in the series against the Royals. While he will certainly look to close out his campaign on a positive note, he and the organization should be pleased with his performance in the second half.