Officially, Josiah Gray was in town for the Nationals Youth Academy’s graduation ceremony, an annual event the right-hander never misses as the team’s designated ambassador for its premier charitable outlet.
But if the right-hander was going to be here for the weekend anyway, might as well enjoy every moment he had at the ballpark and feel like a member of the active roster again, even though he hasn’t been since early 2024 due to injury.
“It's only a three-day trip right now, but just to see everyone and catch up for the short moments that we have together is always a good time,” he said Friday. “And just to feel (like) part of the team again is always a blessing. So I’m looking forward to these three days, and just thinking about the next time I’ll be back up here.”
If everything goes according to plan, Gray’s next official visit to Nationals Park should come sometime in September, with an opportunity to make a few game appearances before season’s end and officially conclude his lengthy recovery from a torn elbow ligament.
Gray, who had Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure July 24, is nearing the one-year anniversary of that career-changing event. His rehab has gone as expected, and he’s currently throwing multiple 30-pitch bullpen sessions each week at the Nationals’ spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Fla.
For now, Gray is only throwing fastballs, but he expects to be cleared to add changeups next week and then breaking balls shortly after that. By the time late-July arrives, the plan is to begin facing live hitters for the first time since his surgery. That will lead into a minor league rehab assignment, which ultimately will lead into a return from the 60-day injured list and a chance to pitch in the majors for the first time since April 4, 2024.
“I think that’s the goal, absolutely,” he said. “With how last year went and how 2023 was, I think being able to come up here and do whatever I can for this team this year in 2025 would be a blessing. Obviously, controlling what I can control and how I’m feeling each day, but being able to get back up here and help us win some games down the stretch would be awesome. And that's what I'm looking forward to doing. We’ve just got to keep building up the days till we get to that point and have some decisions be made.”
That’s the end goal, of course. But the biggest danger with long-term rehab programs is thinking too far ahead. Gray has been dealing with some lonely days in Florida alongside a handful of other injured pitchers (Mason Thompson, DJ Herz, Shinnsouke Ogasawara). They keep each other sane, but each knows the objective is to get out of there and go pitch again in actual games somewhere else.
“This is the time now where you’re starting to get closer, you’re starting to see the light,” manager Davey Martinez said. “But you’ve got to understand there’s still a process with this Tommy John surgery. But he’s doing well.”
Gray, who said he’s been watching every Nationals game on television from his Florida home, will enjoy his 72 hours here while he’s got the chance. Then it’s back to the grind, focusing on daily tasks without losing sight of the ultimate goal.
“I think everyone sort of looks towards the future,” he said. “But for me, I want to take care of each day, just knowing that when I look up, it’ll be July, August, September, and we’re knocking on the door to get back here and feeling good with that. I want to make sure I’m looking at each day and appreciating each day, and not putting a timeline on it. But obviously understanding that, if I could continue to stack really good days, then that’s going to build up to where we want to be. And that’s back up here in the big leagues.”