Mitchell

Parker

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.

The 27-year-old hurler threw 45 pitches in the ballgame. Nationals’ acting manager Miguel Cairo told reporters on Friday that the team will make a decision over the weekend whether or not to give Gray one start at the big league level next week before the season concludes. With Mitchell Parker being shifted to the bullpen, it sounds like the door is open for Gray to get one start with the Nationals and finish the season on a high note.

Parker was outstanding Tuesday, but this was much more inline with how the 25-year-old has pitched for the majority of the season. Of the ten hits, the biggest was a three-run homer by Matt Olson, but Parker was in trouble for the overwhelming majority of the contest. Parker obviously shouldn’t be in lineups for what is likely his penultimate start Sunday against the Mets.

Parker was staked to an early lead and wound up turning in his longest outing since April 22 in this one. He struck out two and also handed out a pair of free passes. A second-inning solo homer by Joey Wiemer represented the lone tally against him until the eighth when reliever PJ Poulin allowed an inherited runner to cross the plate. He’ll face the Pirates on Sunday to close out a two-start week.

Parker had a 7-0 lead after four and still failed to come away with a win, though he would have if not for a Luis García Jr. error with two outs in the fifth. He wound up being replaced after allowing his third and fourth runs of the inning afterwards. At least the Nationals did win one of his starts for the first time since July. He was 0-5 with a 10.21 ERA in six starts during August. Parker should face the Marlins again next week.