Two more takes from early spring ball for the Washington Nationals, plus one that seems a bit fishy.
With a little more spring training action out of the way, it has become a bit easier to draw some concrete conclusions about the Nationals and where they stand as the regular season approaches.
Still, though, it’s important to be wary of small sample-size noise — it’s always a feature of early season ball, even more so before the real games get underway
With that in mind, here are three more takes that seem like they have some substance, and one that may be less certain than it seems.
Truth: The Nats have quality young competition at third base.
One of the main surprises from the spring so far has been the power from the bat of Brady House, but Trey Lipscomb has also shown flashes of high-level production.
In addition to the round-trippers, both players have been among the team leaders in hits, showing off impressive offensive potential. Both project to be quality long-term pieces for a team that isn’t short on them.
It’s always a good problem for a team to have two exciting young players at the same position, and it looks like Washington might have just that.
Truth: Jake Irvin is one of the team’s rotation locks.
Early on in spring training, Irvin has been dealing. He hasn’t given up a run yet and has managed to strike out 6 batters in five innings of work.
Irvin is no secret ace — his career ERA sits a hair under 5.00, and the stuff is far from elite — but he could be a contributor in a rotation that could see some shuffling throughout the year. Coming off of a season with double-digit starts, Irvin projects to do the same in 2026.
If the early spring results hold, perhaps his innings this season can be positive ones for a team in desperate need of just that.
Lie: The Nats are further along competitively than previously thought.
This is a soft lie, because it is entirely possible that some players take the leap and the Nationals show potential in 2026. But, despite the 5-3 record so far, Washington is still a team that is focused on development rather than immediate competitiveness.
That’s not a bad thing, though. Washington is loaded with intriguing young talent, and this season will be an opportunity to foster that talent, slowly building towards what will hopefully be a contender in the coming years.
The team will be exciting, and will most likely show flashes. Those flashes, though, offer a peak into what fans can be excited for down the road as opposed to this season and postseason.