The Washington Nationals will kick off a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays tonight. The Nationals are scheduled to send left-handed pitcher Mitchell Parker, with a 7-14 record and a 6.01 ERA, to the mound, while the Rays will send Adrian Houser, who enters tonight’s game with a 7-4 record and a 2.88 ERA.

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On Deck…

Tomorrow, the Nationals will play game two of their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays and are scheduled to send right-handed pitcher Jake Irvin (8-9, 5.40 ERA) to the mound, and will face right-handed pitcher Ryan Pepiot (9-10, 3.82 ERA) from the Tampa Bay Rays.

In the hole…

On Sunday, the Nationals will finish up their three-game series against the Rays and are scheduled to send right-handed pitcher Brad Lord (4-7, 3.84 ERA) to the mound, and are scheduled to face lefty Ian Seymour (2-0, 3.18 ERA) from the Rays.

This afternoon, the Washington Nationals announced that they have promoted catcher CJ Sutbbs and placed catcher Drew Millas on the 10-day Injured List with a fractured and dislocated left second finger.

Stubbs, 28, joins a Major League roster for the first time after he was taken in the 10th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Southern California. In six Minor League seasons, he hit .204 with 72 doubles, seven triples, 67 home runs, 203 RBI, 199 walks, and 51 stolen bases in 472 games. Defensively, Stubbs has thrown out 114 attempted base-stealers in 371 tries, holding runners to a .693 stolen base percentage.

Losing Drew Millas to a fractured and dislocated finger is a setback for the Nationals’ catching depth, but it opens the door for CJ Stubbs to make his long-awaited MLB debut after six seasons in the minors. While Stubbs’ batting average doesn’t jump off the page, his defensive track record—particularly his strong ability to throw out baserunners—could bring value to the team during Millas’s absence.

James Wood has reached base safely in 16 of his last 19 games, producing a .506 slugging percentage over that span with 10 doubles and two home runs. Over his last eight contests, he’s 11-for-33 (.333) with four doubles, a homer, three RBI, and three walks.

This season, Wood is one of just 12 players to record at least 25 home runs and 15 stolen bases, joining a group that includes Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Pete Crow-Armstrong, José Ramírez, Christian Yelich, Corbin Carroll, Julio Rodríguez, Byron Buxton, Francisco Lindor, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Randy Arozarena.

He has also collected 31 doubles, making him and Crow-Armstrong the only players this year with 25 homers, 15 steals, and 30 doubles.

With 83 RBI, Wood is closing in on the 100-RBI mark. If he gets there, it will be the first 100-RBI season for a Nationals player since Anthony Rendon (126) and Juan Soto (110) both accomplished the feat in 2019.

James Wood’s production highlights not only his consistency but also his rare combination of power, speed, and run production—traits that put him in the company of some of the game’s biggest stars. His ability to contribute across multiple offensive categories signals that he’s more than just a slugger; he’s a well-rounded threat who can change games in different ways.

Reaching benchmarks like 25 homers, 15 steals, and 30 doubles places him in an elite tier of players, demonstrating his value as both a middle-of-the-order run producer and an all-around offensive force. Closing in on 100 RBI underscores his impact on the Nationals’ lineup and suggests he has the potential to anchor the offense for years to come, much like Soto and Rendon once did.

Over the past week and a half, the Nationals’ bullpen has transformed into one of the team’s most reliable weapons. Since Aug. 20, the group has combined for a 2.51 ERA, holding opponents to a mere .159 average across 32.1 innings. In that stretch, the relievers have not only delivered swings and misses — striking out 36 hitters — but also closed out games effectively, collecting two wins, two saves, and six holds.

Leading the charge has been Clayton Beeter, who hasn’t allowed a hit or a run in his last five appearances, spanning 5.0 innings. Eight of his last ten outings have been scoreless, and since early August, opposing hitters have managed just a .097 batting average against him — the second-lowest mark in Major League Baseball over that span. Shinnosuke Ogasawara has been just as dependable in matchup spots, essentially silencing left-handed bats by holding them to a .125 average across his last nine appearances. And since joining the club on Aug. 3, PJ Poulin has quickly made an impact, allowing only two runs in 12.0 innings with 13 strikeouts while keeping opponents to a .182 average.

For a young Nationals team still developing its identity, the bullpen’s recent dominance is more than just a hot streak — it’s a stabilizing force. Strong relief work not only shortens games but also builds confidence in the starting rotation, knowing there’s reliable support waiting in the later innings. Emerging arms like Beeter, Ogasawara, and Poulin stepping into big roles demonstrates the depth and potential of Washington’s pitching pipeline, a critical piece for a club in transition. If the bullpen continues to perform at this level, it not only helps the Nationals compete more effectively game by game but also provides a strong foundation for bridging into their next competitive window.

Mitchell Parker’s second season in the big leagues has been a study in growth, flashes of brilliance, and steady competitiveness. While his most recent outing in Philadelphia didn’t go as planned, Parker has already shown this year why the Nationals view him as such a key piece of their young rotation. He opened the season on a tear, going 3-1 with a 1.39 ERA through his first five starts — including a dominant, career-best performance in Baltimore when he tossed eight shutout innings of one-hit ball. Even when facing tough lineups, Parker has displayed an ability to limit damage and keep hitters off balance, as he did in his lone start against Tampa Bay, where he allowed just two runs over five innings despite taking the loss.

Perhaps most impressive has been his ability to control the running game: opposing teams have managed just two stolen bases off him all season, a reflection of both his awareness and his athleticism on the mound. Since debuting in 2024, only six runners have successfully swiped a bag against him, putting him among the stingiest pitchers in baseball in that area. At just 24, Parker has already proven he can handle the grind of a Major League season while showcasing the raw ingredients of a reliable mid-rotation arm — and with moments of dominance like his April masterpiece in Baltimore, he hints at the potential to be much more.

Mitchell Parker’s performance matters because it represents stability and promise for a Nationals team still shaping its next core. In an era where stolen bases are on the rise, Parker’s ability to neutralize the running game gives Washington a competitive edge that often goes unnoticed on the stat sheet. His early-season dominance, highlighted by his eight-inning gem in Baltimore, showed he has the ability to control games when he’s locked in. Even when he struggles, his consistency in limiting damage and keeping runners in check demonstrates traits of a dependable starter the Nationals can build around. For a young roster looking for anchors both in the rotation and the clubhouse, Parker’s combination of poise, development, and flashes of dominance suggests he could be an important piece in bridging the present with the team’s competitive future.

Adrian Houser, a right-handed pitcher, picked up his first victory as a member of the Rays after pitching into the seventh inning during a 10-6 win over St. Louis on August 22 (W, 6.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, HR). Across his last ten starts combined between the Rays (3 starts) and White Sox (7 starts), the teams have won eight.

Performance vs. the Nationals

Houser holds a record of 0-1 with a 1.15 ERA (15.2 IP, 2 ER) in five career outings (three as a starter) against the Nationals, marking his lowest ERA against any National League opponent.

Recent NL East Start

This season, Houser has made one start against an NL East team, tossing six shutout innings on May 26 against the Mets (ND, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO).