The Washington Nationals have been moving right along in spring training so far over the first handful of games, as the team comes into Grapefruit League action on Monday with a 5-3-2 record so far. As with any team around the league during this time of year, the Nationals have some intriguing storylines to follow, and one of them is coming to fruition this afternoon.
That storyline is that of former All-Star righty Josiah Gray making his return to a big league mound, as he will be making his first appearance since 2024 today against the Houston Astros. Now 28-years-old, Gray last appeared in the majors as a 26-year-old in early April of 2024, and a lot has changed since then. His first 2 starts of the 2024 season were pretty tough for him after getting the Opening Day nod that year, and he now is in a position to earn back a rotation spot.
Since coming over from the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Keibert Ruiz in the now infamous Max Scherzer and Trea Turner trade, the Nationals have seen a little bit of everything when it comes to Gray. He was subpar in 2021 and 2022 with the Nationals but made his first career All-Star team in 2023, as he posted an 8-13 record with a 3.91 ERA, but also had a 1.459 WHIP as well.
Controlling the strike zone has always been the issue for Gray, as he has issued 184 walks compared to just 382 strikeouts in his big league career in only 386.2 innings. For Gray to take the next step after coming back from Tommy John Surgery, he will need to limit the amount of baserunners he lets on either via hits or free passes.
However, the opportunity Gray has is tremendous, as the team still needs quality starting pitching now more than ever, and he can potentially prove he deserves to be thought of as a long-term starting option for the team's rotation. With no true ace on the team and a lot of unproven arms, Gray can hopefully emerge as a top arm moving forward.
Surrounding Gray as he gets the nod today will be a lot of guys thought to be starters in the lineup for the 2026 season. Guys like CJ Abrams, James Wood, Brady House, and Daylen Lile, among others, will be in the field as Gray takes the bump this afternoon against Houston at 1:05 PM EST.
What are you expecting from Josiah Gray in his first appearance since 2024? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.