Herz’s Return on Hold After Flexor Strain

**Corey** (0:00)
It's June 23rd. This is Washington Nationals News Today, AI-powered updates on your team. I'm Corey with the story. So DJ Herz, the young pitcher for the Nationals, was on the comeback trail after Tommy John surgery from last year. He was doing rehab starts, looking good, even striking out batters. But then during a recent outing, he felt some forearm tightness.
Turns out after an MRI, it's a flexor muscle strain. This means his return to the big leagues is on hold for now.
He's being shut down to rest and recover, which is a tough break considering he was pitching well.
This is a bummer for both Herz and the Nationals. He was on track to potentially rejoin the team around the All-Star break and they could really use his arm. He showed promise as a rookie and the team is in a tight race for a playoff spot. The Nationals are currently tied for a wild card spot, and while their offense is firing on all cylinders, their pitching has been giving up a lot of runs. Getting a healthy Herz back, whether he's starting or coming out of the bullpen, could be a big boost for their postseason hopes. For now though, it's just about getting him healthy. The timeline for his return is uncertain, but the focus is on making sure he's fully recovered before he steps back on the mound.