DJ HERZ NEWS

Cleans up mechanics over offseason Herz focused on adding strength and cutting out unneeded movement in his pitching mechanics this offseason, leaving him optimistic that he'll be able to build off a promising rooki...

Impact After some early struggles upon his initial call-up to the big leagues in early June, Herz settled in nicely following the All-Star break and was arguably performing as Washington's best starter by season's end. Altogether, Herz turned in a 4.16 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 106:36 K:BB in 88.2 innings with the big club, but he'll still have to fight for a back-end rotation spot throughout spring training. Herz displayed a well-developed fastball and changeup as a rookie, but honing the command of his breaking pitches this spring will likely be essential if he's to break camp with the big club. The young southpaw believes the mechanical tweaks he's implemented will help him find the strike zone more consistently while continuing to make bats miss at a steady clip. Specifically, Herz has cleaned up his delivery from the windup and eliminated an unnecessary backward step he had been taking last season, resulting in a smoother operation.

FEBRUARY 21 • ROTOWIRE

'That's money,' DJ Herz said. Here's what the Nats lefty meant. DJ Herz made 19 big league starts last season and was Washington’s best starter after the all-star break.

FEBRUARY 20 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM

Optioned by Nationals Washington optioned Herz to the Florida Complex League Nationals on Friday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact With Herz not scheduled to start during the weekend series against the Phillies, the Nationals will switch out the 23-year-old southpaw for long-reliever Jackson Rutledge. Herz started in 19 games for the Nationals this season, posting a 4-9 record with a 4.16 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 106:36 K:BB across 88.2 innings. He was briefly sent down to Triple-A Rochester in early July, but he returned to the big club after the All-Star break. Since his recall, his numbers slightly improved to a 3.61 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 57.1 frames.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Allows one run in loss Herz (4-9) took the loss against the Royals on Wednesday, allowing one run on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts over five innings.

Impact Herz threw 52 of 81 pitches for strikes and yielded just one run in the third inning, but the Nationals' offense wasn't able to muster any support for the rookie. Despite a seven-run disaster in his most recent outing, the southpaw yielded just two earned runs across 15 innings in his other three September starts. He'll finish his first season with a 4.16 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and an impressive 10.76 K/9 across 88.2 innings.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Crumbles in fourth inning Herz (4-8) took the loss Wednesday versus the Mets, allowing seven runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five over 3.1 innings.

Impact Herz cruised through three innings, but he was pulled after allowing of the first eight batters to reach in the fourth. He had already given up four runs at the time of his exit, and Jacob Barnes let all three inherited runners cross the plate to put more damage on Herz's line. This was the southpaw's worst outing of the year, though he was able to avoid giving up a home run for the fifth time in six appearances. He's now at a 4.30 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 103:33 K:BB through 83.2 innings over 18 starts. His next projected start will likely be his last one of the campaign, which is tentatively set to be at home versus the Royals.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Earns fourth win Herz (4-7) yielded a run on four hits and a walk over five innings Friday, striking out five and earning a win over the Marlins.

Impact Herz turned in three scoreless frames before coughing up a solo homer to Otto Lopez in the fourth inning. It was Herz's second straight win after going 0-3 over his previous five outings. He hasn't thrown six innings in a start since Aug. 14 but he's registered a 2.49 ERA over five appearances since then. Herz now owns a 3.70 ERA with a 98:30 K:BB through 80.1 innings this season. He's projected for a road matchup with the Mets next week.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Nationals' DJ Herz, after exiting hitless outings, faces Marlins Rookie left-hander DJ Herz will look to build off his first win in more than a month when the Washington Nationals play the second contest o...

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Fires five hitless frames Herz (3-7) earned the win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, issuing three walks and striking out five batters over five hitless and scoreless innings.

Impact Herz walked one batter in each of his first three frames, but each was with two outs, and none of those batters reached second base. The rookie right-hander finished his outing by retiring the final seven hitters he faced, with four going down on strikeouts. A no-hitter was never really feasible for Herz since he needed 87 pitches to get through five innings, but his fantasy managers are likely a little disappointed that he wasn't allowed to remain in the game for the sixth to try for a quality start. Regardless, this was an impressive performance by the 23-year-old, who has more than held his own in his first major-league campaign with a 3.82 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 93:29 K:BB over 75.1 frames.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Nationals' DJ Herz overpowers Pirates in Game 1 of doubleheader DJ Herz logged five no-hit innings as the Washington Nationals topped the host Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 on Saturday afternoon in the opener of...

SEPTEMBER 7, 2024 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Start pushed to Saturday Herz will not start Friday against the Pirates as the game has been postponed due to inclement weather.

Impact Friday's game will be made up Saturday as part of a double-header, and Herz will likely pitch in the first game. He's 2-7 across 15 starts this season with a 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 88:26 K:BB across 70.1 innings.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles late in loss Herz (2-7) took the loss against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings.

Impact Herz cruised through four scoreless innings but then hit a wall in a four-run fifth frame. It was the first time in eight outings since the All-Star break that the rookie allowed more than two earned runs, though he has only pitched deep enough to earn one quality start in that span. On the season, Herz owns a 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 88:26 K:BB across 70.1 innings and lines up to face the Pirates next weekend.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles late in loss Herz (2-7) took the loss against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings.

Impact Herz cruised through four scoreless innings but then hit a wall in a four-run fifth frame. It was the first time in eight outings since the All-Star break that the rookie allowed more than two earned runs, though he has only pitched deep enough to earn one quality start in that span. On the season, Herz owns a 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 88:26 K:BB across 70.1 innings and lines up to face the Pirates next weekend.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

DJ Herz overcomes another rocky first as Nationals beat Braves DJ Herz allows no runs and strikes out eight in five innings to continue his strong August as the Nationals beat the Braves to win the seaso...

AUGUST 25, 2024 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM

Throws five shutout innings Herz didn't factor into the decision Sunday against Atlanta, allowing one hit and three walks across five scoreless innings. He struck out eight.

Impact Herz was excellent Sunday but didn't qualify for the win as Atlanta tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning before Washington pulled ahead late. The outing marked Herz's third time not allowing an earned run, and he hit the eight-strikeout milestone for the fourth time in 14 starts. The 23-year-old has had issues keeping the ball inside the park - posting a 1.4 HR/9 across 65.2 innings - but he's otherwise been impressive. The rookie boasts a 3.84 ERA with 83 strikeouts despite a 2-6 record. Herz is tentatively scheduled to make his next start during a weekend series against the Cubs.

AUGUST 25, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

DJ Herz and CJ Abrams help the Nationals knock off the Braves 5-1

DJ Herz struck out eight in five sparkling innings, and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 5-1 to avoid a three-game sweep

AUGUST 25, 2024 • Associated Press

Strikes out seven in loss Herz (2-6) took the loss against the Rockies on Tuesday, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts across 5.2 innings.

Impact Herz generated a solid 13 whiffs on 93 pitches but departed an out shy of his second straight quality start. While he only has one win to show for it, the rookie has yielded two earned runs or fewer in seven of his past eight outings. On the year, he owns a 4.15 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 75:21 K:BB across 60.2 innings and tentatively lines up to face Atlanta on Sunday.

AUGUST 21, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Pitch efficiency, growth in mindset keys to Herz's solid start WASHINGTON – There are a handful of numbers on every pitching line that a starter can dissect after a night on the mound. Rookie southpaw DJ...

AUGUST 21, 2024 • MLB.COM

Stuck with loss in quality start Herz (2-5) took the loss Wednesday, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings in a 4-1 loss to the Orioles. He struck out five.

Impact A two-run homer by Gunnar Henderson in the first inning proved to be too much for the Nationals' offense to overcome, saddling Herz with the loss despite his first quality start since June 15. The rookie southpaw has mostly been reliable of late, allowing two runs or less in six of seven starts since the beginning of July while posting a 3.48 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 41:12 K:BB through 33.2 innings, but he has just a 1-3 record to show for it. Herz will try to get back in the win column in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Rockies.

AUGUST 15, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles with command Herz did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks over 2.2 innings against the Giants. He struck out four.

Impact Herz struggled with his command, tossing just 39 of 74 pitches for strikes while walking a season-high four batters in his shortest outing of the season. It was the fourth consecutive game Herz has failed to allow more than two runs, though he was able to complete five innings in each of his previous three starts. The promising 23-year-old lefty did toss four more strikeouts, giving him 63 over 11 starts spanning 49 innings to go along with a 4.41 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. His next opportunity to take the hill is tentatively scheduled for next week when the Nationals take the short trip up I-95 for a matchup with the Orioles in Baltimore.

AUGUST 9, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Strikes out six in win Herz (2-4) earned the win against the Brewers on Saturday, allowing one unearned run on two hits and one walk with six strikeouts over five innings.

Impact Herz opened with four scoreless frames before Sal Frelick reached on an error and came around to score with two outs in the fifth. The rookie was pulled after 77 pitches and has completed six innings just once in 10 starts, but he has yielded two earned runs or fewer in four of his past five outings. On the season, he owns a 4.27 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 59:13 K:BB across 46.1 innings and lines up for a home matchup with the Giants next week.

AUGUST 4, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Fans eight in no-decision Herz allowed two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out eight over five innings in a no-decision versus the Cardinals on Sunday.

Impact Herz gave up loud contact early, allowing a solo home run to Willson Contreras in the first inning and an RBI triple to Pedro Pages in the second. It got better after that, as Herz retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced and ended with 56 of 79 pitches landing for strikes. The southpaw has pitched into the sixth inning just twice through nine starts, but he's been able to complete five frames in three of his last four outings. He's posted a 4.79 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 53:12 K:BB over 41.1 innings in the majors this year. He's fared well enough to stay in the rotation and is tentatively projected for a tough home start versus the Brewers in his next appearance.

JULY 28, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Staying in rotation Herz is scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Cardinals in St. Louis, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact Herz was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on July 8, though his demotion always looked to be the result of the Nationals wanting to maintain more flexibility with their active roster heading into the All-Star break. He rejoined the big club when a fifth starter was needed for the first time in the second half Tuesday and worked five innings in a loss to the Padres, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four. Herz will take a 1-4 record and 4.95 ERA into his ninth start of the season with the Nationals on Sunday.

JULY 25, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Gets little help against Friars Herz (1-4) took the loss Tuesday as the Nationals fell 4-0 to the Padres, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out four.

Impact The rookie southpaw was locked in a pitchers' duel with Randy Vasquez early, but Herz faltered in the fifth inning, serving up back-to-back solo shots to Luis Arraez and Jurickson Profar. It was only the second time in Herz's last five big-league starts that he even managed to complete five innings, and while he does have a 45:11 K:BB through his first 36.1 innings for the Nats, eight homers allowed has saddled him with a 4.95 ERA. Herz is scheduled to make his next start on the road this weekend in St. Louis.

JULY 24, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Drawing start Tuesday The Nationals will recall Herz from Triple-A Rochester to start Tuesday's game against the Padres, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Impact Herz was sent down earlier this month mostly as a means to give him some extra rest around the All-Star break. The left-hander should have a decent chance to remain in the Nationals' rotation for the remainder of the season. Herz holds a 5.17 ERA and 41:9 K:BB over 31.1 innings covering seven starts in the majors this season, which includes a pair of double-digit strikeout games.

JULY 23, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Heading back to Triple-A The Nationals optioned Herz to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Impact Unless the Nationals place another player on the injured list in a corresponding move, Herz won't be eligible to rejoin Washington for another 15 days. Though Herz was tagged for five runs (four earned) in 4.1 innings in his most recent start in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com suggests that the left-hander's demotion likely isn't a result of the Nationals being dissatisfied with his performance. Instead, Washington is likely just giving him some extra rest ahead of the All-Star break, with Herz being a candidate to rejoin the big-league rotation when a fifth starter is needed to begin the second half of the season. Washington recalled right-hander Joan Adon from Triple-A to replace Herz on the 26-man active roster and provide a fresh arm out of the bullpen in the short term.

JULY 8, 2024 • ROTOWIRE