After RHP Chad Kuhl suffered a foot injury that would land him on the injured list in 2023, the Nationals gave the opportunity to an unlikely name with above-average numbers in the minor leagues. The Nationals selected the contract of 6'6 RHP Jake Irvin from Triple-AAA Rochester. Throughout his time in the minor leagues, Irvin was seen as a back-end starter. Over 65 MiLB starts, Irvin would pitch to a 3.80 ERA, striking out 255 with a 1.22 WHIP. Irvin, a 4th-round pick in the 2018 MLB draft, would make his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs.
Irvin began his career by hitting the back of Nico Hoerner. After that, everything went well. The Nationals would go on to beat the Cubs 2-1. Irvin went 4.1 innings, only giving up 2 hits and an earned run, striking out 3 and walking 4. 2023 was a decent rookie season for Jake Irvin. Irvin would replace Chad Kuhl on the roster and make 24 starts during his rookie campaign. Irvin pitched to a 4.61 ERA, striking out 99 and walking 54. Irvin would lack run support in almost every start he had, which led to a 3-7 record on the year.
Nationals fans saw Jake Irvin still as a back-end starter with the likes of Mackenzie Gore, 2023 All-Star Josiah Gray, and Top Prospect Cade Cavalli still on the roster. Irvin was primed to still be on the roster but as a #4 or #5 starter. Spring Training was great for Irvin, who pitched to a 3.38 during the spring. Irvin would make his first start as the #3 starter behind Gray and Gore in 2024. With Josiah Gray needing Tommy John early on in the year, Irvin would get an opportunity as a #2 starter, and for the first half of the year, Irvin took advantage of it.
Jake Irvin had an all-star caliber first half in 2024, pitching to a 2.80 ERA during the first 4 months. Jake Irvin was arguably one of the biggest snubs of the 2024 all-star team. Irvin's best start came on July 4th, where he went 8 innings of scoreless baseball only giving up one hit and striking out 8 New York Mets.
8 scoreless
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) July 4, 2024
8 Ks
Jake Irvin had himself a 4th of July pic.twitter.com/x3IoU2TTmR
Unfortunately, Irvin couldn't take the momentum into the second half. Irvin ran out of juice by the end of the season. Irvin would finish the year with a 4.41 ERA, which was still an improvement from 2023, but also not the 2.80 ERA from the first half. Irvin struck out 156 and gave up 29 homers. Irvin would finish the season with a 10-14 record, with a 3-8 record in his last 15 starts.
Now, with Mackenzie Gore struggling like he has, and Josiah Gray likely out to start the 2025 season, Jake Irvin has a decent shot of being the #1 of the Nats rotation in 2025. Irvin can improve in 2025 by not running out of gas. 308.2 innings is a lot for a second-year starter, and if Irvin can pitch how he did in the first half, there is a bright future in the Nationals' rotation.