Nationals Option Two Notable Pitchers to Triple-A in Latest Round of Camp Cuts
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With less than two weeks until the Washington Nationals face the Chicago Cubs on March 26 for Opening Day, more camp cuts are starting to be made.
To this point, the Nationals have kept a good amount of players in their major league camp, getting a good look at those competing for roster spots and young prospects alike. But as the ramp-up period gets more intense, additional trimmings are going to occur.
That's exactly what happened on Friday, as Washington announced some eye-catching moves with left-handed pitchers Andrew Alvarez, Jake Eder and Mitchell Parker getting optioned to Triple-A Rochester, and right-handed pitcher Trevor Gott, infielders Seaver King and Trey Lipscomb and first baseman Matt Mervis getting reassigned to minor league camp.
There is a lot to break down when it comes to this announcement, as multiple players in this round of cuts were competing for roster spots on the big league roster.
Mitchell Parker, Andrew Alvarez Headline Roster Cuts
The most headline-grabbing move that was made was optioning Parker to Rochester. The left-hander was a starter for the Nationals the past two years, but his struggles last season caused him to be moved into the bullpen. He was competing for a spot in the rotation this spring, however, his performance didn't inspire confidence that he had turned things around.
Parker made two appearances. He allowed two earned runs across 3 2/3 innings with five walks compared to three strikeouts. Considering control was a major issue he had last year, issuing those five free passes across two outings was not a good sign he figured that part of his game out. So, he'll begin his season at Triple-A to work on things barring some injuries coming down the stretch of spring. And the hope is some tweaks can help him get things back on track.
As for Alvarez, his option to Rochester is notable because of the way he performed down the stretch last year and how he carried that success over into the spring. Following the 2.31 ERA he produced across five big league starts, he allowed just two earned runs in nine innings pitched in his three outings this spring. He also led the Nationals with 11 strikeouts at the time of his option, but he'll now get some more time to develop in Triple-A to start the 2026 campaign.
Trey Lipscomb Loses Battle for Bench Role
Lipscomb appeared to be competing for a bench spot on the MLB roster. He did the best he could to make his case for earning that role coming out of camp by going 7-for-20 with a walk across 12 games. His seven hits were second-most for Washington this spring, and his five RBIs were tied for second, as well. But ultimately, the decision makers felt like it was best to send him back to the minors, and he'll get more reps there before the start of the season.
Lipscomb will be someone to keep an eye on when it comes to potential call-ups during the year. He showed massive improvement this spring compared to how he performed during 2024, which caused him to hardly get an opportunity in the majors last season. He'll have to deliver during his time in the minors, but he's a candidate to get more playing time in The Show this year.
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