LOS ANGELES, CA - Picture making your MLB debut as a pitcher and having to face Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith right out of the gate. You're doing this on Jackie Robinson Day at Dodgers Stadium. That's precisely the challenge the Nationals’ No. 21 Prospect faced yesterday evening in Los Angeles as the Washington Nationals kicked off a three-game series.

Parker was called up on Monday due to Josiah Gray's injury, and in his MLB debut, things turned out remarkably well for him. The southpaw pitched 5.0 innings, striking out four (including his first-ever MLB strikeout against Mookie Betts), not walking anyone, and only giving up two runs on four hits.

Parker immediately challenged Betts with a four-seamer over the heart of the plate, resulting in a called strike. After a couple of curveballs, Parker got Betts swinging on a fastball up in the zone for his first career strikeout.

Parker became the first Washington Nationals rookie starting pitcher to win in their debut since Stephen Strasburg on June 8, 2010.

“I think we're moving further away from it sinking in,” said Parker in a media interview after the game. “[I’m] taking it minute by minute. We're working on it. But it's starting to get there.”

Parker’s family had to make some last-minute travel plans to the West Coast, and his mom couldn’t be happier. “It’s the validation of a lifetime journey,” Wendy said of her son. “[It’s] proof that he belongs here. That it's not a fluke.”

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In the bottom of the third inning, Facing Betts, Ohtani, and Freeman for the second time, the left-hander retired the side, getting Ohtani swinging on a 2-2 curve in between lineouts from Betts and Freeman—a pivotal moment for Parker and the Nationals.

Manager Davey Martinez also seemed pleased with Parker's performance. “After the first inning, he seemed to settle down, and by the fourth inning, he was like, ‘Hey, let's go... Then we went up to him in the fifth inning just to see how he was. He wanted to go back out, which says a lot. But you have to be smart. He was at 80 pitches. I thought that was plenty. He gave us five good innings.”

“It was a really good lineup, and all those guys are very, very good,” said Parker. “So the whole game is probably going to stick with me for a very long time.”

On the other hand, the Nationals’ offense showed up by beating one of the best pitchers in MLB right now: RHP Tyler Glasnow. Glasnow entered last night’s game with a record of 3-0 and an ERA of 2.25. The Nationals scored six runs on eight hits against the right-hander.

CJ Abrams continued his hot streak last night by hitting a home run and going 2-5 and got help from fellow teammates; Joey Gallo, Jesse Winker, and Luis García Jr. all contributed to the win last night. All in all, it was a great night for the Nationals and a solid bounce-back from a heartbreaking loss to the A’s on Sunday afternoon. Oh, by the way, RHP Kyle Finnegan was able to close out the game without giving up a single hit, earning his sixth save of the season.

“Twenty years, we’ve waited for this,” added Wendy, Mitchell’s proud mom.

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