Nats place Trevor Williams on IL, recall DJ Herz from Triple-A Rochester

The Washington Nationals recalled left-handed pitcher DJ Herz from Triple-A Rochester and placed right-handed pitcher Trevor Williams on the 15-day Injured List (retroactive to June 1) with a right flexor muscle strain on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Herz will start and make his Major League debut tonight against the New York Mets at Nationals Park.

Herz, 23, is 3-2 with a 3.75 ERA, 42 strikeouts and a .177 opponents’ batting average in nine starts for the Red Wings this season. Over his last four starts, Herz is 3-0 with a 2.50 ERA (5 ER/18.0 IP), 25 strikeouts and a .148 average against. In his last start on May 30 vs. St. Paul (MIN), he struck out 10 and allowed one run on two hits and one walk in 5.1 innings.

Herz leads all of Minor League Baseball with a .176 opponents’ batting average and is third with 13.09 strikeouts per 9.0 innings since the start of the 2021 season (min. 250.0 IP). In parts of five Minor League seasons, Herz is 13-16 with a 3.65 ERA with 455 strikeouts in 317.2 innings and has held opposing hitters to a .178 batting average.

Originally an eighth-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2019 from Sanford High School in Fayetteville, N.C., Herz was acquired by the Nationals on July 31, 2023, with Kevin Made in exchange for Jeimer Candelario. He is currently ranked as the Nationals No. 12 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

Williams, 32, is 5-0 with a 2.22 ERA (14 ER / 56.2 IP), 47 strikeouts and 16 walks in 11 starts this season.