Storen (hand) is scheduled to pitch in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, James Wagner of the Washington Post reports.

It will mark the spring debut for Storen, who has been brought along slowly after he underwent surgery on his left (non-throwing) hamate bone a couple weeks ago. Storen was able to pitch in a minor-league game earlier this week without incident, and he should be able to get in a few more innings with the big club before spring draws to a close. With the Nationals bidding adieu to Rafael Soriano and Tyler Clippard in the offseason, Storen has a clear path to open the season as the Nationals' closer.

Storen (hand) pitched in a minor-league game Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of CSN Washington reports.

Storen threw a BP session last Friday, and following the minor league outing Wednesday should be rejoining the major league club assuming all goes well. He appears to be on track for Opening Day at this point barring a setback of some kind.

Storen (hand) will throw a batting practice session on Friday, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

The Nationals want to avoid having him field any ground balls until his non-throwing hand is fully healed, but Storen should be able to resume game action some time next week.

Storen (hand) resumed throwing Monday, according to the National's official site.

Storen underwent surgery on his non-throwing hand late last week, and appears to be well on track in his recovery. At this point, there's little reason to doubt his availability to close games for the Nationals by Opening Day.

Nationals manager Matt Williams says that Storen (hand) will only miss "three or four days" before resuming his normal throwing schedule, the Washington Post reports.

At this point it doesn't look like the surprise surgery on his non-throwing hand will prevent him from being ready for Opening Day and his duties as the Nats' closer. If the news allows you to get him at a slight discount at your draft table this weekend though, so much the better.

Storen underwent surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone from his non-throwing hand Friday.

Luckily Storen's surgery was just on his non-throwing hand so it shouldn't cost him a large amount of time. Assuming all goes well with the procedure, he should be fine for Opening Day. He heads into 2015 slated as the Nationals closer, a job that he should retain despite the injury.

Storen and the Nationals avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.7 million contract Friday, James Wagner of the Washington Post reports.

Storen will receive a healthy raise in 2015 coming off the best season of his career, one in which he gave up just seven earned runs over 56.1 innings. Storen took over as the Nationals' closer last September and flourished, tallying 10 saves in the month. He will open 2015 with the job and should see ample save opportunities for a Washington team that figures to remain one of the best in the National League.

Storen is currently positioned as the Nationals' closer, James Wagner of The Washington Post reports.

The Nats have received interest in Tyler Clippard, while both reliever are expected to see raises in 2015 as arbitration-eligible players. Storen had an excellent season in 2014, including a 46:11 K:BB in 56.1 innings, a 1.12 ERA and 0.98 WHIP along with 11 saves after taking over the ninth-inning role from the now-departed Rafael Soriano.

Storen was tendered a contract prior to Tuesday's deadline.

The reliever turned his career around last season and eventually inherited the closer role from Rafael Soriano. He doesn't have a dominating K/9 rate, so expect some regression in his ERA and WHIP, but he should still have plenty of fantasy value in 2015.

Storen pitched a clean ninth inning in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Mets to earn his 11th save of the season. He also had two strikeouts.

Storen has been phenomenal since taking over as Washington's closer, going 10-for-10 in save chances with a 10:0 K:BB ratio in 9.1 innings.

Storen gave up a hit and struck out two on Tuesday to notch his 10th save of the year.

Since taking over as the Nationals' closer from Rafael Soriano, Storen is a perfect nine-for-nine in save chances with an 8:0 K:BB ratio in 8.1 shutout innings. He's building a strong case to keep the ninth inning gig next season.

Storen picked up his ninth save Saturday against the Marlins as he allowed two hits in a scoreless inning.

Storen gave up back to back singles with one out in the ninth but ended the game by retiring Garrett Jones on a game-ending double-play. It was his ninth save in 12 opportunities.

Storen recorded his eighth save by tossing a perfect inning in the Nationals' 3-2 win over the Marlins on Friday night.

Storen (eight saves, 1.20 ERA) has been virtually untouchable since taking over the closer's gig from Rafael Soriano, and barring any lapses, he is likely to keep the job for the red-hot Nationals into the playoffs, and perhaps beyond into the 2015 season.

Storen picked up his seventh save Tuesday, pitching a perfect ninth inning, as the Nationals clinched the NL East title.

He hasn't allowed a run (earned or otherwise) since August 5, and Storen appears to be locked in as the Nats' closer while they fight for the NL's best record down the stretch.

Storen earned his sixth save of the season Monday against the Braves as he allowed one hit and recorded one out.

The Nationals were staked to a 4-0 lead in the ninth inning, but former closer Rafael Soriano couldn't get three outs to end the game. Storen came on and even though he allowed a hit, he was able to come away with another save. He looks to be the Nationals closer for the rest of the regular season.

Storen continued his run as the Nationals' current closer Sunday, converting his fourth straight save opportunity since Rafael Soriano's demotion. Storen allowed two singles with no strikeouts, but still pulled out a save for the 3-0 Washington win.

Soriano has made his intended mechanical changes since his demotion according to the Washington Post, but that hasn't stopped Storen from going on a perfect run as the interim closer. In his four save opportunities so far, Storen has thrown six strikeouts and allowed two hits and zero walks. With the likelihood of Soriano unlikely to reach the innings requirement for his 2015 vesting option, it's possible the team could pass on the subsequent team option. Storen could very well be the Nationals' closer of the present and future.

Storen converted his third straight save opportunity since Rafael Soriano was removed from the Nationals' closer role, pitching a perfect ninth inning on Tuesday while striking out one.

Nats manager Matt Williams had initially said he'd be mixing and matching relievers to close out games while Soriano works out his mechanical kinks, but Storen has taken the closer job and run with it. If Soriano doesn't have his option picked up in the offseason, Storen looks like he'll head into 2015 as the favorite to close for the Nats.

Storen locked down his third save of the season Monday, striking out all three batters to face him in the ninth.

Storen has been on a great run for the Nationals, not allowing a run in his last 11.2 innings of work. Having saves on consecutive days, Storen is showing no signs of slowing down.

Storen converted his second save of the season Sunday, setting down the Phillies in order and striking out two.

Storen converted his second save among five opportunities this season Sunday. He will get more chances to do so going forward, however, as manager Matt Williams yanked Rafael Soriano from the closer role following another blown save.

Storen was named by manager Matt Williams as a candidate to see save chances with Rafael Soriano removed from the role, Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com reports.

Another blown save Friday was the last straw for Soriano, as the team has decided to relieve him of the ninth-inning job, at least temporarily. Storen has posted a minuscule 1.37 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 54 appearances this season, but he doesn't have the swing-and-miss stuff (7.0 K/9) that managers typically look for in a closer. Thus, Tyler Clippard seems like the slight favorite to see opportunities, though both could give way to lefty Matt Thornton depending on the matchups.