Nick

Senzel

The Nationals are starting to pivot towards playing some of their younger alternatives, which means Senzel loses his roster spot to prospect Trey Lipscomb. The versatile 29-year-old former top prospect signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Nationals during the offseason and posted a lackluster .663 OPS with seven homers and one steal in 235 plate appearances over 64 games. There’s a chance another team is willing to pick him up off waivers in the coming days.

This will result in a little more time for Nick Senzel at third base. Lipscomb was batting .237/.311/.271 with 10 steals in 133 plate appearances for the Nationals.

Senzel was perfect at the plate on Saturday, starting with a double to lead off the second. He’d come around to score on a base hit by CJ Abrams. Senzel then doubled in the fourth to plate bring a run in before launching a two-run homer off Dylan Lee in the sixth. He drew a walk in the eighth to reach in all four plate appearances. The 28-year-old third baseman is hitting a respectable .243/.352/.441 with six homers, 16 RBI, and one steal across 160 plate appearances.

Senzel left Wednesday’s contest in the second inning after fouling a ball off his right knee, so it’s an encouraging sign that he’s ready to go without missing any time.

Senzel hit a two-run double in the first inning to extend the Nationals lead to 4-0. He’s hitting just .221 and striking out a decent amount with a 24 percent strikeout percentage. Senzel is hitting for power, though, with a .183 ISO and his 111 wRC+ would be a career-high.

Senzel had the day off when the Nationals last played on Wednesday against the Twins. He’s hitting just .196 with five home runs in 92 at-bats on the season.

Winker left Sunday’s game with back spasms and the outfielder has not been able to return since. The 30-year-old will sit with Nick Senzel lining up at designated hitter and hitting sixth. Winker should still be considered day-to-day for now.

Those were Senzel’s first two home runs of the season, but both were well-struck, traveling over 400 feet each time. The 28-year-old is not known for having big-time power and is slashing just .222/.263/.639 on the season with nine RBI, so this was likely just a one-off great day. However, he is playing most days for the Nationals and could be on the radar in the deepest formats.

Senzel is back at designated hitter and batting eighth following a brief two-game absence due to illness.

Senzel was scratched from Thursday’s lineup because he was feeling a bit under the weather, and he isn’t quite ready to give it a go on Friday either. The good news, is that it’s not another injury that’s keeping him sidelined. He should be considered day-to-day. Trey Lipscomb will start in his place at the hot corner and bat eighth against Anthony Maldonado and the Marlins on Friday night.