Cruz (shoulder) isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Cubs, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cruz exited Tuesday's win over the Cubs due to posterior right shoulder soreness and will be held out of the lineup a day later. It's not yet clear whether the 42-year-old will be available off the bench Wednesday, but Luke Voit will serve as the designated hitter while Joey Meneses starts at first base.

Cruz was removed from Tuesday's win over the Cubs with posterior right shoulder soreness, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran slugger went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before being lifted for a pinch hitter during the fifth inning. Cruz missed three games with neck stiffness last week and is now dealing with a shoulder injury. The 42-year-old should be considered day-to-day heading into Friday's series finale in Chicago.

Cruz (neck) is back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

Neck stiffness cost Cruz a few starts, but he will return to the cleanup spot to face left-hander Ranger Suarez. Now 42 years old, Cruz's numbers have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. He's batting just .229/.333/.358 with the platoon edge this season.

Cruz (neck) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies, Bobby Blanco of MASN Nationals reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cruz will take a seat for the third consecutive game as he continues to deal with neck stiffness. Luke Voit will serve as the designated hitter while Joey Meneses receives a start at first base.

Cruz is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies due to a stiff neck, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though Cruz stayed put in Washington in the aftermath of Tuesday's trade deadline, he could be a candidate to see a downsized role in the final two months of the season while the 36-70 team looks to prioritize playing time for younger options. While Cruz was held out of Wednesday's 9-5 loss to the Mets in what was believed to be a maintenance day, the stiff neck explains why the 42-year-old is on the bench for a second straight contest Thursday. Yadiel Hernandez will get a turn as Washington's designated hitter in his stead, and though Cruz may still see his opportunities decrease down the stretch, he'll still be the top option on the depth chart once he moves past the neck issue.

Cruz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

Cruz wasn't moved ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, but he'll take a seat for the day game after the night game while the Nationals deploy Yadiel Hernandez as their designated hitter. Though Cruz will likely handle a near-everyday role down the stretch for Washington, he could receive more frequent off days as the 36-69 Nationals make finding playing time more of a priority for some of their younger options.

Cruz is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers,

EDGE Analysis

Cruz has gone 0-for-14 over his last four games, so he will get a mental break Tuesday. Yadiel Hernandez will serve as Washington's designated hitter, and Lane Thomas will take Hernandez's place in the outfield.

Cruz (quadriceps) went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Friday's 10-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

EDGE Analysis

The Nationals put only four runners on base Friday, and Cruz was not one of them. Prior to a two-game absence with the quad injury, the designated hitter had a six-game hitting streak. The poor return to action dropped his season slash line to .239/.320/.357 with eight home runs, 48 RBI, 39 runs scored and three stolen bases in 85 contests.

Cruz (quadriceps) is starting at designated hitter and batting fifth Friday versus the Diamondbacks.

EDGE Analysis

Cruz is back in the lineup after he missed the final two games before the All-Star break with a quadriceps issue. The 42-year-old currently owns a six game hit streak, going 7-for-22 with a double, two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base over that stretch.

Cruz (quadriceps) remains out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.

EDGE Analysis

The Nationals will have Cruz sit out for a second straight game to close out the team's first-half schedule while he contends with a quadriceps injury. Maikel Franco will step in as Washington's designated hitter in place of Cruz, who will likely be ready to play coming out of the All-Star break.