Nationals Made Tweaks to Jake Irvin That Could Turn Him Into Frontline Starter
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One of the things that Washington Nationals fans were most excited about when it came to this new regime was the pitching lab that was going to be created led by pitching coach Simon Mathews.
The combination of Pulse armbands seen throughout spring training and the change in philosophy to throw fastballs less often is an updated mindset that this fanbase had been clamoring for. But how each player performed when on the mound in a game setting was going to be the most important thing to see.
Well, there is an early standout when it comes to his profile being recreated. And that's right-hander Jake Irvin, who went from a potential non-tender candidate earlier in the offseason to a possible bullpen arm to now someone who looks like he could be a frontline starter based on his first start.
Much of that could be attributed to the Nationals making important tweaks to Irvin, and there are two things that stand out when it comes to improvements they've made.
Nationals Lowered Jake Irvin's Arm Slot
The first thing Washington tweaked that stands out from a physical standpoint is lowering his arm slot. In 2025, his arm angle was 27 degrees. In his first start of 2026, it was down at 24 degrees. That caused his "stuff" to pop against the Chicago Cubs, as his slider and four-seam fastball were huge beneficiaries of this change, per Thomas Nestico of TJStats.
Irvin's stat line also matched the advanced numbers. He went five innings where he allowed two earned runs on three hits, striking out seven batters and only walking one. While the two runs came on homers, which were a huge issue for him last year, it was a great sign to see him generate 14 whiffs with his arsenal that got shelled throughout last season.
If 24 degress is the sweet spot for Irvin and he is able to maximize all of his pitches with that arm slot, then he could have major success this year. That will be something to keep an eye on throughout the season, but the early returns in start one were great.
Updated Pitch Mix Could Keep Hitters at Bay
One thing the Nationals pitching coaches don't seem afraid to do is completely overhaul things when it comes to this staff. For Irvin, that meant using his other pitches more often in his first start, as he went from being primarily a four-seam, curveball and sinker thrower to using six pitches against the Cubs.
Per Statcast, Irvin threw his four-seamer 23 times, his curveball and sinker 20 times, his cutter 13 times and his slider and changeup nine and eight times, respectively. Having that type of arsenal should keep hitters at bay, and it will allow someone like the 29-year-old to attack both lefties and righties with different pitches depending on the matchup.
How Irvin evolves over the course of the 2026 campaign will be interesting to see. He had a successful spring training that earned himself a spot back in the rotation. And following his first start of the year, it looks like he could potentially push for a frontline spot if he is able to continue having the type of success he had against Chicago.
Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai