The Nationals introduced right now that outfielder Lane Thomas has been reinstated from the injured checklist with fellow outfielder Víctor Robles designated for task in a corresponding transfer. The membership’s 40-man roster rely drops to 38.
Robles, now 27, was as soon as the membership’s prime prospect and one of many prime prospects in the whole league. Per the rankings from Baseball America, he was the Nationals’ #1 prospect in three straight years from 2017 to 2019. He was additionally on BA’s prime 100 league-wide checklist from 2016 to 2019, getting as excessive as #5 total going into 2018. The expectation at the moment was that Robles had the potential of being an all-around contributor and a long-term a part of the outfield in Washington.
Issues gave the impression to be in a very good place in 2019, the 12 months the Nats gained the World Collection. Robles hit 17 house runs and slashed .255/.326/.419. Regardless of the lengthy balls, his 5.7% stroll price stored the on-base low and the wRC+ of 92 signifies he was truly a bit beneath common offensively total. However because of above-average protection and stealing 28 bases, FanGraphs credited him as being value 3.7 wins above substitute in his age-22 season.
Given his youth, the Nats undoubtedly anticipated him to proceed evolving as a hitter as he aged. Sadly, issues moved in the other way within the years to come back. From 2020 to 2022, Robles bought into 291 video games with the Nats however hit simply .216/.291/.306 in that point for a wRC+ of 66. The membership’s fortunes additionally pale in that point and so they entered a rebuilding part.
That theoretically left Robles with loads of enjoying time to get again on monitor, however his well being hasn’t actually allowed him to take action. He solely bought into 36 video games final 12 months on account of again spasms within the lumbar backbone. He did carry out nicely when on the sphere, hitting a strong .299/.385/.364, however hasn’t carried that over in 2024. He spent a couple of month on the injured checklist on account of left hamstring pressure and has produced a brutal line of .120/.281/.120 within the 14 video games he has performed.
Robles was slated to achieve free company after the 2024 marketing campaign and the Nationals had been probably hoping for a pleasant run of play this season, at the least permitting them to flip Robles for one thing on the deadline earlier than he slipped away from them for nothing. Sadly, his efficiency hasn’t impressed a lot confidence and they’re chopping him off the roster right now.
They are going to now have per week to commerce him or cross him via waivers, although any curiosity is more likely to be pretty modest after years of poor efficiency and harm absences. He’s making a wage of $2.65MM this 12 months, with nonetheless about two thirds of that left to be paid out. Maybe the Nats will attempt to eat a few of that cash to facilitate a deal however it’s additionally potential that Robles simply finally ends up launched. He has sufficient service time that he can reject an outright task in favor of free company whereas holding all that cash intact.
It’s undeniably been a disappointing few years and hardly what the membership had in thoughts, given the prospect pedigree and the promising begin to his profession. However for Robles personally, it’s not too late for him to discover a second act someplace. He simply turned 27 final week and will maybe get again on monitor with a run of excellent well being and the proper alternative.
