Nationals' Thad Ward: Rookie struggles continue

Ward gave up three runs on two hits and a walk in an inning of relief in Sunday's loss to the Phillies. He struck out two.

The right-hander served up a three-run homer to Kyle Schwarber in the ninth inning, but the game was already well out of reach for the Nationals. Ward has been tagged for three home runs in his last eight innings, inflating his ERA to 5.23 on the season to go along with a shaky 18.6 percent walk rate. A Rule 5 pick out of the Red Sox system, the rebuilding Nats will live with his growing pains, but Ward isn't likely to see any kind of fantasy-friendly role in 2023.