Greetings! Welcome to the latest edition of the Nationals Beat newsletter. This is your stop for the latest on and off the field, from news to exclusive player interviews and insights, brought to you by MLB.com club reporter Jessica Camerato. As the Washington Capitals battled in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Friday night in Montreal, massive hockey fan Jake Irvin showed his tenacity at the same time at Nationals Park.
The gritty right-hander fought back from a first-inning injury scare to hold the Mets to one run in 7 1/3 frames, amplifying his career success against the NL East foes.
"No matter the circumstance, it’s still throw the ball over the plate on the next pitch and just challenge guys,” Irvin said. “Stay in attack mode.”
In Irvin’s last three starts, he is 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA across 20 2/3 innings. He has held opponents to a .153 batting average and .236 slugging percentage with only two extra-base hits. Irvin also has recorded 19 strikeouts to just two walks during this span. |
Irvin’s stretch of deep outings looked to be in jeopardy the second at-bat into Friday’s game.
Covering first base on a Juan Soto grounder, Irvin was struck in his glove arm as he reached across his body to catch the throw from first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Irvin was visited by manager Dave Martinez and head athletic trainer Paul Lessard. After throwing under supervision, he stayed in the game.
"It’s a very awkward play, tough when your arm bends back like that,” said Martinez. “We got scared because I’ve seen a lot of guys really get hurt with that play. He said his arm went numb for a minute there. But then he came back out. That’s two times he gave us a scare this year already. What he did after that was unbelievable.” |
Two innings later, Irvin deflected a comebacker from Francisco Lindor with the aforementioned glove hand and made the underhand throw to nab Lindor at first.
"It was kind of like a stinger for a couple innings, and my hand felt a little bit weird,” Irvin said. “I don’t know if that was because of something that happened to the elbow or shoulder, I don’t know. But it feels good now.”
Last Fourth of July, Irvin dazzled in an eight-inning shutout against the Mets at Nationals Park. On Sept. 16, he tossed 7 1/3 innings of one-run baseball at Citi Field.
“They’re a division rival, these are games that we have to win,” Irvin said. “Maybe it’s just digging a little bit deeper. But these are games you really, really want, and just try to give us a chance.” |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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Which Nationals veteran made his Major League debut with the visiting Mets?
A. Josh Bell
B. Paul DeJong
C. Nathaniel Lowe
D. Amed Rosario |
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Nationals No. 4 prospect Seaver King hit his first pro-ball homer on Friday, which also happened to be his 22nd birthday. King went yard for the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks to extend his hitting streak to seven games. The 10th overall pick in the 2024 Draft, King hit 16 home runs last year for Wake Forest. |
NATS TRIO MAKES SPECIAL VISIT |
Michael Soroka had plans that he wanted to keep the morning after making a rehab start in Harrisburg, Pa.
Soroka drove back to Washington, D.C., in time to join Alex Call and Eduardo Salazar for a visit to Joint Base Andrews in Prince George's County, Md.
The trio met with airmen and airwomen, saw an F-16 jet from the Opening Day flyover and a UH-1 helicopter, and played catch with the Joint Base Andrews’ Battle of the Bases softball team.
“[They] are heroes,” said Call. “They put their lives down for our country, and that’s something that should be praised, respected and appreciated. Just coming out here today is the least that I can do.” |
Riley Adams and Nationals mascot Screech surprised Amidon-Bowen Elementary School students this week with a special story time. Each student also received books to take home. The visit was in partnership with Everybody Wins DC, which selected the Nationals as a Read to Dream 2025 Community Champion. |
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D. Rosario debuted with the Mets on Aug. 1, 2017. |
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• Sunday: Kids Designed Opening Day T-Shirt giveaway (first 5,000 fans ages 12 and younger); Story Time at Nationals Park; Screech's Birthday; Signature Sunday; Girl Scout Day; Kids Run the Bases (ages 4-12 postgame) |
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