Mitchell Parker likely needs Tommy John surgery

The expectation had been that Parker would undergo the traditional Tommy John reconstructive elbow procedure, so the fact that he had the internal brace procedure instead should at least shave a bit of time off of his recovery. He’s still expected to miss the majority of the 2027 campaign while recovering.

It’s merely a procedural move with Parker likely to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery after being diagnosed with a significant UCL sprain earlier this week.

No word yet on the severity of Parker’s injury or whether surgery is on the table. The 26-year-old has a 6.58 ERA in 39 2/3 innings for the Nationals out of the bullpen this eason.

Parker came in with the score 6-1 and worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings. A shaky ninth followed, but he was left in after three of the first four batters reached, and he retired José Ramírez and Chase DeLauter to end the game. It’s the second career save for Parker. The other was also of the three-inning variety after he was removed from the Nationals rotation late last season. He has a 5.33 ERA over 27 innings in his 12 relief appearances this year.

Mikolas might have a shot at 20 losses this year, but it involves him pitching considerably better than this. He has an 11.49 ERA and an 11/9 K/BB over 15 2/3 innings after four outings. The Nationals aren’t expecting much other than innings from him, but since he’s not even providing many of those, he might find himself out of work before long. Mitchell Parker, who got the win tonight after striking out five in two scoreless innings, would be one possibility to replace him. Mikolas is scheduled to pitch again Sunday versus the Giants.

He’ll replace Jackson Rutledge after Rutledge was optioned to Triple-A by Washington on Monday. The Nationals don’t have an off day until April 27th, so having Parker up could enable them to use him as a spot starter or perhaps provide length out of their bullpen over these 13 days. In three Triple-A starts this season, Parker has allowed nine runs on 17 hits in 13 1/3 innings while striking out 16 and walking just three.

Parker has been a fixture in the Nationals’ rotation over the last two seasons, making 29 starts in 2024 and 30 starts (33 appearances) in 2025. However, he posted just a 5.68 ERA and 103/.58 K/BB ratio in 164 2/3 innings last season, and has not won a spot in the rotation this year. With Parker beginning the year in Triple-A, Foster Griffin and Jake Irvin will likely claim the final two spots in the Nationals’ rotation.

What’s fascinating is that Parker got himself into trouble without allowing a hit, instead issuing four free passes while striking out a pair. The damage done against him came on a two-run double by Taylor Trammell in the fourth inning after Parker had issued a pair of walks and turned the ball over to the bullpen. He threw just 19 of his 43 pitches for strikes in the game. This isn’t going to help Parker’s cause in battling for one of the final spots in the Nationals’ rotation.

The Marlins failed to muster any hard contact against Parker, who is having to battle for a rotation spot after posting a 5.68 ERA and a poor 14.2 percent strikeout rate as a sophomore. The addition of Miles Mikolas to near-certainties Cade Cavalli and Brad Lord has left the Nationals with Josiah Gray, Foster Griffin, Jake Irvin and Parker battling for two rotation spots, and the assumption is that Gray will have one if he gets through camp healthy. All but Mikolas do have options, though.

Jose A. Ferrer was unavailable after throwing 43 pitches on Saturday, so the Nats just stuck with Parker in his first relief appearance after 59 major league starts. Incredibly, it’s the Nationals’ first three-inning save since the move to D.C. The franchise’s last came in 1999, when Anthony Telford had one for the Expos. Parker, who was pulled from the rotation with his ERA climbing to 5.85 last weekend, allowed just two hits, He nearly gave up a game-tying homer, or at least a double, to Francisco Alvarez to start the ninth, but Jacob Young made an outstanding jumping catch at the wall, and the Mets went quietly from there.