MacKenzie Gore Pushed Back, Jake Irvin To Start Spring Opener
The Washington Nationals previously named left-hander MacKenzie Gore as the starter for their Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Houston Astros, but he's being pushed back because he wants to be able to go two innings in his debut. Instead, right-hander Jake Irvin will make the start on Saturday. Gore and Irvin will be Washington's top two starting pitchers heading into the 2025 season, with Gore most likely getting the nod to pitch on Opening Day on March 27 at home against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. The 25-year-old southpaw will be looking to take the next step in his third year in D.C. after going 10-12 with a career-best 3.90 ERA (3.53 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with a career-high 181 strikeouts and 65 walks in 166 1/3 innings over 32 starts. Opponents had a high .340 BABIP against him, but he also had the third-worst WHIP in baseball. Gore is RotoBaller's No. 69 fantasy starting pitcher.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin (10-12) delivered a quality start on Wednesday as the Nats defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-1. Irvin allowed one run on two hits and walked one while striking out five in six innings. He also earned the win. Pitching in his second season, Irving has taken tremendous steps forward and has become a promising young player that the Nationals can build around. In 30 starts (172 IP), Irvin has pitched to a 4.19 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Both are vast improvements over his numbers in 2023 (4.62 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 121 IP). The 27-year-old is scheduled for two starts next week and will look to keep things rolling in his next scheduled start Monday on the road against the New York Mets.
Washington Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin imploded in his final start before the All-Star break on Sunday when he surrendered seven runs (six earned) on nine hits (two home runs) while walking three and striking out three in just four innings in a loss to the hosting Milwaukee Brewers. Irvin had been on a nice stretch for the Nationals and fantasy managers, but in his last two starts, including Sunday, the 27-year-old has given up 13 runs (12 earned). He has allowed plenty of hard contact this year but heads into the break with a solid 3.49 ERA (3.85 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with a career-high-tying 99 strikeouts and 29 walks in 116 innings over 20 starts. Although Irvin has looked better in his second year in the big leagues, this is a reminder that he still has work to do. After throwing 121 innings in his rookie year, Irvin is already up to 116 this season.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin was sublime on Thursday, shutting out the red-hot New York Mets for eight innings while allowing just two baserunners. Irvin struck out eight while giving up just one hit and one walk. It has been a brilliant season for the 27-year-old breakout thus far, as shown by his 2.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 94 strikeouts over 106 IP. Irvin has now allowed two or fewer runs in nine of his last eleven starts. The righty should be rostered in all but the shallowest of leagues with how he has been pitching of late.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin pitched his seventh quality start in his last eight starts and 11th of the season after an 8-1 defeat of the Rays on Saturday. Irvin threw six innings of one-run ball, allowing just one hit and three walks while striking out five. The righty notched the win, finishing June with a 4-1 record and a 2.31 ERA. For the season, the 27-year-old is 6-6 with a 3.03 ERA (3.52 FIP), 1.06 WHIP, and a 16.2% K-BB%. The former fourth-round draft pick will look to keep rolling his next time out when he takes on the Mets next Thursday at home.
Jake Irvin Allows One Hit Across Six Frames On Saturday
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin pitched six strong innings on Saturday, allowing just one hit and three free passes. He struck out five batters. His one mistake was a solo shot by Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe in the first inning. This was another strong outing for the 27-year-old right-hander as he posted a 2.35 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and an 8:21 BB:K ratio in his previous four starts. Overall, Irvin has taken a significant step forward in his sophomore season with a 3.03 ERA and 1.06 WHIP he has held through 98 innings compared to the hefty 4.61 ERA and 1.42 WHIP he posted in his rookie campaign last summer. Irvin is lined up to face the red-hot New York Mets on Thursday, July 4, next week.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin made easy work of the Colorado Rockies during Sunday's outing. Irvin allowed one run on three hits over six innings in a no-decision. The 27-year-old did everything he could even striking out 10 batters during this outing. His only mistake was allowing a solo home run to Michael Toglia in the second inning. Irvin continues to be a bright spot for the Nats this season. He should be a solid streaming option against the Tampa Bay Rays during his next outing.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin continued his solid campaign versus the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. The right-hander allowed two runs over six innings in the win. Irvin struck out six batters while walking one as he earns himself another win. He has surprisingly been a solid option for the Nats. He'll take his 3.39 ERA and 60 strikeouts into his next start.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin turned in another strong performance in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Braves. Irvin pitched six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. The 27-year-old has been a valuable fantasy option this season, going 2-5 with a 3.43 ERA, a 7.71 K/9 rate, and a 1.57 BB/9 rate in 11 starts and 63 IP. Six of his 11 starts have been quality starts, including three of five May starts. Irvin is rostered in just eight percent of leagues, so he is available for all fantasy managers looking for a solid back-of-rotation addition or a potential streamer in deeper leagues. That could come into play as early as his next scheduled start, which will be a decent matchup at the Guardians.
Jake Irvin In Search Of Bounce-Back Effort Thursday
Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Irvin will be in search of a bounce-back effort on Thursday when he toes the rubber at home against the Atlanta Braves. The rookie right-hander surrendered four earned runs across just 4 2/3 innings his last time out against the Milwaukee Brewers while he walked five Brewers hitters in that outing. He had previously surrendered three earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts but the rough outing in Milwaukee saw his ERA rise to 4.34 on the season. Additionally, Irvin owns a 5.29 FIP, 5.02 SIERA, and a weak 9.2% K-BB% across his first 23 starts on the campaign, suggesting he has been worse than his surface ERA entails.
MacKenzie Gore
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Nationals
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