Thomas went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored in Thursday's win over Atlanta.
Thomas reached base and stole second in each of his first two trips to the plate while also coming around to score a run in the latter at-bat. The outfielder has been on a tear since returning from the injured list and is now batting .353 (6-for-17) through four games in May with three RBI, four stolen bases and four runs scored, swiping a pair of bags in back-to-back contests.
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Stuffs stat sheet in victory
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Thomas went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, an additional run, a double, a walk and two stolen bases in Wednesday's 7-2 win against Atlanta.
Washington was being shut out by rookie hurler Spencer Schwellenbach until Thomas tagged him for a three-run homer in the fifth inning. That was the biggest highlight of a very productive performance by the outfielder, who added a couple cherries on top with a pair of steals in the ninth frame. This was Thomas' third game back since missing over a month while on the injured list, and he's gone 5-for-13 with four extra-base hits since his return.
Thomas (knee) was activated from the 10-day injured list Monday.
Victor Robles was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Thomas has been out since late April with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, but he is now ready to roll following a four-game rehab stint with Double-A Harrisburg. Thomas mostly struggled over the first few weeks before landing on the IL, slashing .184/.250/.253 with two homers and 11 steals, but he should immediately slot back in as the starting right fielder for Washington.
Nationals' Lane Thomas: Plays nine innings Thursday
Rotowire
Thomas (knee) went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts for Double-A Harrisburg on Thursday while playing all nine innings in right field.
It marks the first time in three rehab games that Thomas has played a full nine innings. The 28-year-old is 2-for-9 at the plate in those three contests with a double and a stolen base, and per Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports, the Nationals are considering whether to activate Thomas on Friday or leave him on his rehab assignment for another couple days to get his timing back at the plate. When Thomas does come off the injured list, he should immediately slot back into the starting lineup in right field for Washington.
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Could be activated Friday
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Thomas (knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Thomas is set to play Tuesday and Wednesday before being reevaluated. Assuming all goes well, it would set him up to be activated ahead of the Nationals' weekend series against the Mariners. Thomas has missed nearly a month of action with a Grade 2 MCL sprain of his left knee.
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Rehab stint coming soon
Rotowire
Thomas (knee) could start his rehab assignment next week, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Thomas has been making progress since suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain April 23 and could return to game action as early as next week. Assuming all goes well during his rehab assignment, Thomas could return from the injured list before the end of May.
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Runs bases Wednesday
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Thomas (knee) ran the bases Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Thomas is running again for the first time since being diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee three weeks ago. Zuckerman notes that Thomas wasn't running at full effort but seemed to be moving at close to 100 percent speed. Running the bases is typically one of the last steps a player coming back from a knee injury takes before embarking on a rehab assignment, though it's not yet clear when Thomas might report to a minor-league affiliate for game action.
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Taking batting practice
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Thomas (knee) will take full batting practice on the field Tuesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
It will be his first time doing so since he went down with a left MCL sprain in his knee two weeks ago. Thomas will need to do some running and other drills before being cleared for a rehab assignment, but he seems to be making nice progress.
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Taking dry swings
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Thomas (knee) has been cleared to take dry swings, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
It's been a little over a week since Thomas was diagnosed with an MCL sprain of his left knee, and he's now easing back into baseball activities. There is no timeline for the outfielder's return, but he's almost surely several weeks away.
Nationals' Lane Thomas: Dealing with Grade 2 MCL sprain
Rotowire
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that Thomas was placed on the 10-day injured list earlier Wednesday with a Grade 2 MCL sprain and is without a timeline for a return, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Thomas sustained the injury in the fifth inning of Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Dodgers and was diagnosed with the MCL sprain after getting an MRI. The outfielder was walking around without the aid of crutches Wednesday and acknowledged that he expects to avoid surgery, according to Andrew Golden of The Washington Post. A timeline for Thomas' return could come into focus once he resumes baseball activities, but fantasy managers should prepare for the outfielder to be sidelined beyond the minimum 10 days. Martinez said that Joey Gallo will get the first chance at replacing Thomas as Washington's primary right fielder.
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Hits IL with MCL sprain
Rotowire
The Nationals placed Thomas on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with an MCL sprain of his left knee.
Thomas sustained the injury in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Dodgers and will be eligible for activation May 4, but given the nature of the knee issue, he'll likely need more than the minimum 10 days to make a full recovery. The Nationals called up infielder Trey Lipscomb from Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move, and he could end up garnering regular starts at third base and serving as Thomas' de facto replacement if Washington is willing to move Nick Senzel off the hot corner and deploys him in the outfield or at designated hitter more frequently. After a breakout 2023 campaign in which he hit .268 with 28 home runs and 20 stolen bases, Thomas had slumped out of the gate with a .184/.250/.253 slash line with two home runs in 22 games, though he remained active on the basepaths (11 steals in 12 attempts).
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Nationals' Lane Thomas: Likely headed to injured list
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Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday in an interview on 106.7 The Fan that he anticipates Thomas (knee) going on the injured list, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
There's no word yet on the results of the MRI on Thomas' left knee, but it sounds like he's bound for the IL even if the club gets good news. Thomas was injured during Tuesday's loss to the Dodgers while stealing second base in the fifth inning. The 28-year-old has started every game in right field for the Nationals this season. Joey Gallo has seen his playing time slip a bit recently but might get some run in right with Thomas out. Trey Lipscomb is expected to take Thomas' spot on the roster.
