Nationals Shut Down Josiah Gray for Remainder of Regular Season

The Washington Nationals are content to give their former All-Star pitcher the offseason to continue his recovery from elbow surgery.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (40) throws a pitch during the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park. | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Josiah Gray’s season is done. But that’s not bad news for the Washington Nationals All-Star pitcher.

Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo told media covering the team on Monday that the 27-year-old’s season was over, as the organization was happy with his three rehab starts in the minor leagues as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

It’s been a long stretch for Gray, who was named a National League All-Star in 2023. At the start of this year, he threw from flat ground for the first time. So, he progressed from that to being able to pitch at Triple-A Rochester. With the Nationals out of the playoff race and the minor league season complete, Washington appears content to let Gray continues his recover in West Palm Beach, Fla., at their team training facility as he seeks a rotation spot in 2026.

Josiah Gray’s Recovery

Here in Wilmington, Josiah Gray is making his first rehab start with the @WilmBlueRocks. pic.twitter.com/IBh1tAid6J

— Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) September 7, 2025

Gray, a right-hander, pitched three rehab games in September — one each with High-A Wilmington, Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester. Combined he didn’t figure in a decision and only pitched 5.2 innings. He struck out five, walked five and gave up four hits. He didn’t allow a run and threw 111 pitches. Batters hit just .200 against him.

His recovery is good news for a rotation that should be built around MacKenzie Gore next season. New leadership will determine the franchise’s direction. The Nationals hope to have a president of baseball operations and a general manager hired soon. Those hires will then focus on a new manager. The Nats fired general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez in July.

Gray has always been seen as part of the future of the rotation. Gray joined the Nationals in 2021 as he was dealt by the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the Max Scherzer trade. Washington also received catcher Keibert Ruiz in that deal.

In 2022 he earned a full-time starting rotation spot. He made 28 starts for Washington, went 7-10 and finished with a 5.02 ERA. He struck out 154 and walked 66, while giving up an NL-worst 38 home runs. He bounced back in 2023 as he went 8-13 with a 3.91 ERA and career high 3.1 WAR. He made 30 starts, struck out 153 and walked 80 in a career-high 159 innings. He pitched in two games for the Nationals in 2024 before he suffered the elbow injury.

Gray has a career record of 17-27 with a 4.84 ERA, with 382 strikeouts and 184 walks in 386.2 innings pitched.

He was a second-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in the 2018 MLB draft and spent less than a year in their system before he was traded to the Dodgers in a deal that netted the Reds slugger Matt Kemp. He made his MLB debut and his first MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2021 just before the Scherzer trade.