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Meet The Washington Nationals 2022 Opening Day Roster

By Max Rayman

A general view of the 2019 World Series Champions sign at Nationals Park before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Toronto Blue Jays on July 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
A general view of the 2019 World Series Champions sign at Nationals Park before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Toronto Blue Jays on July 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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Patrick Corbin
Patrick Corbin #46 of the Washington Nationals in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 25, 2021 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Nationals 4-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Washington Nationals Starting Rotation (5)

Patrick Corbin (LFP), Josiah Gray (RHP), Erick Fedde (RHP), Aníbal Sánchez (RHP), Joan Adon (RHP)

Gone are the days of the Nationals’ starting rotation being the backbone of the team. Patrick Corbin is fresh off of the worst year of his career (5.82 ERA), yet has looked sharp this spring. In nine innings, he’s given up four runs (all unearned), while striking out 10. Last year hitters laid off of his slider and teed off of his fastball, but this spring he’s located both with ease. Washington’s rotation is heavily reliant on Corbin returning to form.

Acquired in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner blockbuster, Josiah Gray enters the season needing to take the next step. Across 12 starts with the Nats, he flashed his strikeout potential (9.0 K/9), but was prone to the long ball and finished with an ugly 5.31 ERA. Only 24, Gray just needs to soak up more experience and continue to develop his secondary pitches.

Fedde started to take the next step in 2021, but kept running into a wall. He struck out a career-high 128, but finished with a 5.47 ERA. The 29-year-old is running out of chances, but looked sharp in his last spring training start. He struck out five across 4 2/3 shutout innings, while only allowing three base runners.

Aníbal Sánchez and Joan Adon won the last two rotation spots, with Josh Rogers surprisingly being sent to AAA.  Per MLB Pipeline, Adon is the Nationals’ eighth-ranked prospect and flourished in his only MLB start last year. Against Boston, he two runs across 5 1/3 innings, while striking out nine. Only 23, he will team up with Gray as the next wave of young Nationals pitchers.

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