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Nationals' Daylen Lile: Set to start in right field
Rotowire
Lile appears to be the likely Opening Day starter in right field for the Nationals, Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie of MLB.com report.
With Dylan Crews and Robert Hassell both beginning the year at Triple-A, Lile is effectively the last man standing in right, with James Wood in left field and Jacob Young in center. Lile is coming off a surprising rookie season in 2025 in which he slashed .299/.347/.498 over 91 games with nine homers and eight steals, a performance which carries a little more weight than his .213/.240/.447 slash line over 16 games this spring.
Lile went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
The blast was Lile's first of the spring, coming in the seventh inning off Kai-Wei Teng. The 23-year-old had a breakout in 2025, posting an .880 OPS over 47 games in the high minors before making his big-league debut in late May and slashing .299/.347/.498 with nine homers and eight steals over 91 contests for the Nationals. Lile should see consistent playing time right out of the gate in 2026, splitting his time between DH and the outfield corners as part of a promising young outfield group in Washington that also includes James Wood and Dylan Crews.
Lile (knee) will start at designated hitter and bat cleanup in Tuesday's game versus Atlanta.
Lile missed the first game of the series Monday with a knee issue, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go Tuesday. The rookie has been one of the best hitters in baseball in September, slashing .378/.432/.757 with four home runs.
Lile (knee) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Lile will get at least one day off to heal up from the painful-looking injury he sustained while sliding into the left-field wall in pursuit of a flyball in the third inning of Sunday's win over the Mets. Following Lile's removal from the contest, the Nationals relayed that he had been diagnosed with a left knee contusion, so the team is seemingly viewing him as day-to-day for the time being. Robert Hassell will replace Lile in left field and will bat ninth Monday.
Lile was removed from Sunday's game against the Mets in the bottom of the third inning due to a left knee contusion. He went 1-for-1 with a base hit and a run prior to his departure.
Lile sustained the injury when he slammed his knee into the left-field wall in foul territory while attempting to make a sliding catch, per Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post. After an extended delay, Lile was able to walk off the field under his own power, and X-rays on his knee have since come back negative. Though Lile appears to have avoided a serious injury, his availability for the final week of the season is in question.
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Nationals' Daylen Lile: Plays hero in extras
Rotowire
Lile went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Saturday's 5-3 extra-innings win over the Mets.
The rookie outfielder's blast generated maximum drama and excitement, as he ripped a ball off the center-field fence in the top of the 11th inning that ricocheted away from Cedric Mullins and turned into a game-winning, inside-the-park homer. Lile has been on a stunning extra-base hit surge in September, and through 19 games on the month he's slashing .370/.425/.753 with two doubles, four home runs and an incredible seven triples. His 11 three-baggers on the season -- in only 330 plate appearances -- have tied the franchise record set by Denard Span in 2013.
