Nationals Option Parker, Alvarez to Triple-A Rochester in Spring Cuts

The Washington Nationals shipped three left-handed pitchers to Triple-A Rochester on Thursday as spring training cuts began to reshape their roster picture for 2026. Mitchell Parker and Andrew Alvarez headlined the moves, with Jake Eder also optioned to Rochester according to multiple reports. Right-hander Trevor Gott, infielders Seaver King and Trey Lipscomb, and first baseman Matt Mervis were reassigned to minor-league camp.

Parker's demotion carried the most weight. The 26-year-old spent the better part of two seasons anchoring the back end of Washington's rotation, compiling a 15-26 record and 5.09 ERA across 59 starts from 2024-25 before being shifted to the bullpen late last year. His spring did nothing to reverse the trend: two appearances, 3 2/3 innings, two earned runs, five walks, and three strikeouts, good for a 4.91 ERA and a bloated 1.64 WHIP. The walk total was the real red flag. Control was the central issue that derailed him last season, and surrendering five free passes across two spring outings suggested the problem remained unsolved.

"Mitchell's ability to give us multiple innings, left-handed and has pitched in the big leagues before, it's a good thing to have," Butera said. "We still think Mitchell is going to help and contribute to our team this year. Just unfortunately, we have more pitchers than we have spots right now, which is a good problem, but an unfortunate problem for some guys, too."

The roster math was brutal for Parker. With Cade Cavalli named the Opening Day starter earlier in the week, one rotation spot was already locked up before camp's final cuts arrived. The signings of Zack Littell and Miles Mikolas to one-year deals effectively claimed two more spots, leaving just two openings for a group that included Jake Irvin, Josiah Gray, Alvarez, and Parker. Once Washington also added Foster Griffin to the mix, the margin for error disappeared entirely. Multi-faceted right-hander Brad Lord emerged as the leading candidate for the long-reliever role that Parker had been positioned to fill.

Alvarez's option was the quieter move but no less significant given what he showed last September. The 26-year-old went 1-1 with a 2.31 ERA across five starts in his MLB debut and carried that momentum into spring camp as a genuine rotation candidate. His spring line of 0-1 with a 2.00 ERA in nine innings was actually respectable, but the depth ahead of him on the depth chart made the decision straightforward. Eder, who joined the organization this offseason, struggled with inconsistency throughout his first spring camp with the club.

Parker figures to head to Rochester with a clear developmental mandate: clean up the mechanics, fix the walk rate, and stay ready. Given his ability to eat innings from the left side, he profiles as one of the first calls Washington makes when the rotation inevitably encounters an injury. Three relief appearances last year produced a 1.42 ERA, a reminder that the stuff can play when the command is there. The work to get it there consistently starts now in Rochester.