The Washington Nationals seem poised to change their pitching philosophy, and this pitcher could benefit the most from that.
One thing that has been noticeable for the Washington Nationals early on during their spring training schedule isThis was expected to happen on some front since the new regime has largely come from places where they have embraced analytics that suggest throwing the fastball less often is beneficial.
But how aggressively they push this philosophy for the rest of spring and during the season will be interesting to monitor. How some of the pitchers on this staff perform by throwing their heater less will also be something to keep an eye on. And there is one clear candidate when it comes to who could benefit the most.Mitchell Parker of the Washington Nationals | Brad Mills-Imagn Images There's no sugarcoating that Mitchell Parker had a horrendous year in 2025. He had the second-highest ERA in the majors behind only his teammate Jake Irvin . That showingBut with this new philosophy in place, a bounce back could be in store. Parker's fastball last year yielded a batting average of .269 and a slugging percentage of .447 against. While some of his other pitches had worse numbers, he also threw his four-seamer 55.5% of the time., Parker threw his fastball just 27.9% of the time during his 43-pitch outing. Conversely, he threw his slider and curveball both 30.2% of the time. That produced two scoreless innings where he gave up just one hit, a walk and a strikeout.Mitchell Parker of the Washington Nationals | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images It seems unlikely that Parker is going to win the fifth rotation spot before Opening Day. If that's the case, then the question becomes if he's going to be with the big league squad orDepending on how Washington views the left-hander going forward, that is going to determine a lot. Parker could be moved into the bullpen and be a swingman or long reliever for the 2026 squad. And because the relief staff is so weak on paper, that seems like the best course of action instead of continuing to trot him out as a starter. But the most important thing is getting Parker back on track after a disastrous showing in 2025. And by reducing his fastball usage, he could benefit the most from this new pitching philosophy.BRAD WAKAI 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
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