Washington Nationals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore allowed just two runs on four hits in six solid innings in Denver, striking out 13 in a dominant performance. He left the game with a commanding 12-2 lead after striking out his 13th batter to end the sixth inning, but the Nationals' bullpen almost let the game get away before holding on for the 12-11 win. Gore improved to 2-2 with the win and has a 3.41 ERA, 2.30 FIP, and 1.21 WHIP in his five starts. He has an impressive 13.97 K/9 rate, which is the highest mark of qualified pitchers so far this season. Gore had no trouble with the strikeout-prone Rockies and will draw the Orioles at home in his next outing, which is currently scheduled for Thursday. Even in that tougher matchup, Gore is a must-start in all formats after his strong start so far.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Robert Garcia earned his first save of the year on Thursday in a 5-3 win over the Angels. He struck out one as part of a scoreless ninth inning where he didn't allow any baserunners. Luke Jackson was unavailable after pitching the past two days, which is what opened up the opportunity for Garcia. He's been very effective to start the season, allowing only two runs in his nine innings pitched with eight strikeouts and three walks. While he won't get enough saves to be relevant in standard leagues, he is a very valuable reliever wherever holds matter.

Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz and first baseman Josh Bell are out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Riley Adams is behind the dish and is batting eighth, while Nathaniel Lowe is starting at first base and is hitting cleanup for the Nats against Pirates left-hander Andrew Heaney. James Wood is the designated hitter and is batting second. Ruiz is getting his second day off of the season after starting strong with a .317 average (20-for-63) with two homers and 11 RBI. The 26-year-old should be back for Friday's series opener in Denver against the Colorado Rockies. Bell will get the day off against a lefty after going just 3-for-27 with a homer in the last seven games. Adams has gone hitless in just two career at-bats against Heaney, while Lowe has two hits in both of his at-bats against Heaney.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Mitchell Parker continued to pitch well on Wednesday, tossing six innings of one-run ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Parker allowed just four hits and a walk while punching out six in this one. Although he took a hard-luck loss, this start makes it four quality starts in a row for Parker to start the 2025 season. He also has a terrific 1.85 ERA and 1.11 WHIP to go along with 16 strikeouts in 24 IP. While some regression is expected, Parker might be worth a look in deeper leagues and could make for a decent streamer against the right matchups in standard leagues.

The Washington Nationals are promoting infielder Trey Lipscomb from Triple-A Rochester. In a corresponding move, the Nationals are placing infielder Paul DeJong (nose) on the 10-day injured list. Lipscomb made his MLB debut last summer and posted a .200/.268/.232 slash line across 61 games. He only hit one long ball, but carried decent fantasy value given his speed production. Across this stint, he swiped 11 bags. During the early part of the Triple-A regular season, Lipscomb enjoyed a strong start, as he held a .295/.392/.386 line across 13 games. He tallied 13 total hits, swiped two bags, and held a 7:13 BB:K. Fantasy managers should expect Lipscomb to see time at shortstop while DeJong is sidelined. He is worth adding in deeper category formats when looking for speed upside.