Dylan Crews had a huge game last night on his rehab assignment. The Nationals can really use his energy
Yesterday was not a very fun day to be a Nationals fan. The team just wrapped up a humiliating home series against the Brewers. There has been a serious lack of energy for a while. However, a solution to that problem is starting to heat up in his rehab assignment. Dylan Crews had a massive day yesterday.
Dylan Crews hits a three-run homer. He’s 2-for-4 tonight also with a double. pic.twitter.com/rQWOpL9Ye8
— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) August 3, 2025
After missing more than 2 months with an oblique injury, Crews is almost ready to make his return. He has now played five games for Rochester, though he has not completed the games because the Nats are playing it safe. Playing a couple complete games should be the last step before Crews comes back.
These last couple months are a big opportunity for Crews. He has faced a real learning curve adjusting to big league pitching and a hot finish to the season would be real positive news for Nats fans.
Crews’ injury actually came at a very unfortunate time because he finally looked like he was figuring it out. In his last seven games, Crews had a .994 OPS. He actually had a solid run after a brutal start to the season. In his last 30 games, Crews had a .775 OPS. With his defense and athleticism, Crews would be a highly impactful player if he could sustain a .775 OPS for a full season.
If you look at Crews’ underlying data, it shows that he got quite unlucky to start the season. His xwOBA of .343 was actually above average and was way better than his .275 wOBA. Sure, there are some warts in his offensive profile. Crews was whiffing too much, hitting the ball on the ground more than you would like and not pulling it enough, but he was still hitting the ball very hard. He was also improving on those weaknesses as the season progressed.
However, Crews’ demeanor and hard nosed style of play could have an even bigger impact than his offensive production. Since Crews left the lineup, you can see how much they miss his energy. He is one of the few guys on the team that really does the little things well.
Obviously Crews is not the only reason for this, but when he left the lineup, the Nats were 22-27, since he has been gone, the Nats are 22-40. Even if he was not hitting like we wanted him too, Dylan Crews was providing a ton of value to the Nationals.
One thing I like about Crews is that he is a winner through and through. A lot of these guys who are drafted out of high school are not used to playing in meaningful games. Crews was the face of a highly competitive LSU program for years. Winning is the expectation for Dylan Crews.
I am really excited for him to get back into the fold. Hopefully we can see that offense become more consistent while he brings that much needed juice. The Washington Nationals and their fans desperately need bright spots the rest of this season. Dylan Crews can be that bright spot we are looking for.