Mitchell

Parker

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.

This was Parker’s best start in months. He did a great job to bury his curveball early to miss bats and leaned on his slider later. Those two pitches combined to force 12 swings-and-misses and helped him reach his highest strikeout total since June 18th. Both runs he allowed came via the long ball and each was hit on a fastball which he inadvertently threw right down the middle. He’ll have a chance to build some momentum next time out against the Marlins.

Parker has a 12.00 ERA in four starts this month and is up to 6.01 overall. Irvin has a 9.55 ERA this month, putting him up to 5.40 for the year. The Nationals, though, don’t see any better options in the system, which is a pretty obvious failure on their part.

Parker worked through three quiet innings against the Phillies before running into trouble in the fourth. Two singles and a pair of doubles brought two runs in and left two runners on for Edmundo Sosa, who took Parker deep for a three-run blast. Trea Turner then homered to lead off the fifth. Parker would end his day after five frames with three strikeouts. The 25-year-old left-hander will take a 6.01 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, and an 87/53 K/BB ratio across 134 2/3 innings into a home start against the Rays on Friday.

Parker walked three, didn’t record a strikeout, and registered a nine percent whiff rate and 15 percent CSW. He has a 5.83 ERA and is not a recommended start next week against the Rays.

Parker allowed four of his five runs off the bat of Vinnie Pasquantino, as Pasquantino hit a sac fly in the first and a three-run homer off Parker in the fifth. Even without Pasquantino it was another ineffective outing for Parker, one that sees his ERA increase to an ugly 5.55 in 2025. He’s obviously not a good option against the Phillies next week.