The Washington Nationals placed left-hander DJ Herz on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a sprained elbow ligament.

Season-ending Tommy John surgery is one of the possibilities Herz is facing.

Herz went 0-2 with a 6.52 ERA in four games (three starts) in spring training before being optioned to Triple-A Rochester last Thursday.

Herz, 24, made his major league debut last June and finished 4-9 with a 4.16 ERA in 19 starts for the Nationals. He struck out 106 batters and walked 36 in 88 2/3 innings.

Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the eighth round in 2019, Herz was traded to Washington in July 2023 for veteran infielder Jeimer Candelario.