The Washington Nationals have had an interesting start to their season, to say the least.
After taking the opening series against the Cubs, with two impressive wins, the Nats dropped a series to Philadelphia and will now head to Los Angeles to face the big, bad Dodgers. Not a fun start to the year schedule-wise for a team that most fans don’t even expect to compete.
One of the early bright spots in an infant season has been left-handed starter Foster Griffin.
Foster Griffin's American comeback story
Griffin's first start as a member of the Nationals in his return stateside ended with a line of five innings, two earned runs, five strikeouts, and no walks. It may only be one start, but if the hurler maintains the stuff he was sporting in his opening outing, success should be a constant.
Griffin showcased a plus changeup that he turned over to induce strike three and well-above-average command of his fastball. If you’re looking for reliability from a starter, command is a great foundation.
After the Nationals' offense jumped on Phillies’ starter Taijuan Walker early, Griffin kept the game within reach and eventually earned his first win for the curly W’s. He nearly escaped with no runs allowed, but the Phillies managed a bloop and a blast with two outs in the fifth before Griffin could record the final out of his appearance.
Griffin's win against Philadelphia was his first in the big leagues in six years. He’s spent multiple seasons overseas and a little time with the Blue Jays and Royals in 2022 (his last win was with Kansas City in 2020). Other than that, he’s the best he’s ever been with the Nats, and they need everything he can give them.
The Nationals have plenty of question marks in 2026, and although it’s early, some could be answered sooner rather than later. With the steady production of Zack Littell and Griffin and the high ceiling of Cade Cavalli, this Nats rotation could grow to be a strength.
The next test for the surprising Nationals? The back-to-back World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers and their star-studded lineup come to town, and they should serve as a great test for the inexperienced roster the Nationals are sporting. They could also expose some underlying issues or further push the envelope of success that manager Blake Butera’s club has had early on.