The Nationals announced Friday they’ve optioned left-handers Mitchell Parker, Andrew Alvarez and Jake Eder. That takes three pitchers, one of whom has been on the MLB roster for the last two years, out of the mix for the Opening Day rotation.
Parker’s demotion is the most notable. He had been in the big leagues since his first callup in April 2024. Parker had a solid rookie year, turning in a 4.29 ERA across 29 starts. His sophomore season was a lot less encouraging. Parker was tagged for 5.68 earned runs per nine over 164 2/3 innings. He had the ninth-highest ERA and sixth-lowest strikeout rate (14.2%) among pitchers who reached 100 innings.
The 26-year-old Parker took the ball twice this spring. His command was erratic, as he walked five batters over 3 2/3 innings. He’ll begin the season at Triple-A Rochester as he tries to get on track.
Alvarez and Eder were also competing for rotation spots. The former is a 26-year-old rookie who turned in a 2.31 ERA over five major league starts last season. Alvarez doesn’t throw especially hard and had middling strikeout and walk numbers in his MLB look. He’ll head back to Triple-A, where he made 25 starts and posted a 4.10 ERA with a league average 21.5% strikeout rate last season.
The Nats acquired Eder from the Angels as part of last summer’s Andrew Chafin deadline deal. He was immediately optioned to Triple-A and quickly landed on the injured list. The 6’4″ southpaw was once a notable prospect but has struggled to find the strike zone consistently. He walked six batters across 6 2/3 frames this spring.
First-year skipper Blake Butera has already tabbed righty Cade Cavalli as the Opening Day starter. The Nats added Zack Littell, Miles Mikolas and Foster Griffin on one-year free agent deals. Littell’s signing was just finalized this week, but he was able to throw 39 pitches over three innings in his Spring Training debut this afternoon. He’ll probably have time to build up for Opening Day.
Josiah Gray, Brad Lord, and Jake Irvin are in the mix for the fifth starter spot. Gray is coming back from internal brace surgery that cost him the entire 2025 season. He has struck out five over 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball in camp.
Lord pitched to a 4.34 ERA across 130 2/3 innings last year in a swing role. He has allowed four runs (three earned) with four strikeouts over 7 1/3 frames. Irvin led the Nats with 180 innings a year ago but was tagged for a 5.70 ERA and led the majors in earned runs and homers allowed. He has had an excellent start to the spring, though, firing 8 1/3 frames of two-run ball while punching out 10.
Good idea to option him no need to make him struggle through another year it’s better to let him reset in AAA and hopefully turn things around.
Irvin is going to join his college buddy Cavalli in the Nats’ rotation. They both pitch quickly with a bulldog mentality. They’re fun to watch, and I think Irvin will be more like the ‘24 version as his velocity seems a tick higher this spring than it was last year.
What will they do with Gray? IL stint to begin the season on a minor league rehab assignment?
Yeah, I think he will continue building up in Rochester. When someone struggles or gets hurt he will be up. It shouldn’t really take all that long.
I really hope Gray is healthy and ready to contribute. Had high hopes for him when he was acquired.
That’s not a major league rotation. The Nationals are a complete joke.
You might be right. Or they might be better than you think. A lot of if’s. But Cavalli looks like the real deal. If Griffin’s Japanese numbers are legit, he will surprise. The “innings eater” vets worry me the most. Impossible to accurately project exactly what they will do. (Mikolas turns 38 in August!) Irvin will get his turn in the rotation, and I thought Lord showed enough in ’25 to get a shot as a starter — and he may yet if the others don’t pan out. Parker, Alvarez and Gray need to show they can return and contribute. Actually, it could be worse!!!