The Washington Nationals have made another round of cuts as Opening Day comes closer. This round involved the most notable names and saw some familiar faces get sent to the minors. It also provided some clarity on what the roster could look like. However, there are still plenty of roster spots up for grabs.
For me, the two most notable cuts are Andrew Alvarez and Mitchell Parker. Both were vying for a rotation spot, but are going to have to start the season in the minors. Parker was honestly not a surprising cut. Despite making 59 starts over the past two seasons, it felt like he was on the outside looking in. His 2025 season was ugly after a great April, and he will now have to go back to the drawing board in Rochester.
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Like a lot of Nats pitchers, I would expect Parker to cut his fastball usage. He threw his 4-seamer 55% of the time despite the pitch getting hit hard. However, I do not think his secondary pitches are as sharp as guys like Josiah Gray or Jake Irvin. That was likely a big part of why those guys had the upper hand on Parker.
This has got to sting for Parker, who established himself as a big leaguer these past couple seasons. However, at just 26 years old, Parker has time to get his career back on track. There were times in 2024 where Parker showed serious promise. Now, he will have to get back in the lab and make some adjustments.
Andrew Alvarez getting cut this early is a bit more surprising. The 26 year old had five excellent starts in September and was throwing the ball well in camp. However, he was likely a victim of the numbers game. It is easier to cut a guy like Alvarez than it is to let go of veterans like Gray and Irvin.
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I would expect to see Alvarez at some point this season and I am intrigued by him. He has excellent command and great feel for his breaking balls. The velocity is not great, but he is able to make it work. I was very impressed by his last outing against the Astros.
The other cuts were not as surprising, but Seaver King is a guy who can hold his head high. He had a really nice spring and kept up the momentum he gained in the Arizona Fall League. The former top 10 pick is likely to start the season in AA, and hopefully he can keep up the strong performances. King is a great athlete, who had a rough first season as a pro. Getting him back on track would be a big boost for the Nats.
Coming into camp, Matt Mervis had a shot at MLB playing time at first base if he had a strong spring. However, the local kid was underwhelming and will start the year in the minors. Mervis has big time power, but will have to find a way to keep the strikeouts under control.
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While this gives us some clarity, there are still plenty of cuts to make. A bunch of bullpen spots are still up for grabs and none of the outfielders on the 40-man roster have been sent down yet. That means these last couple weeks of spring will be crucial for guys looking to lock down roster spots.
With a new regime in place, I am super interested to see how they put together the Opening Day roster. Will we see any surprise cuts or will they stick to the status quo? That is what we are going to find out over these next couple of weeks.
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