Bad news for an already beleaguered and depleted Nationals relief corps: Mitchell Parker’s MRI revealed a Grade 3 strain of his left UCL, and the southpaw is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery that could sideline him through the 2027 season.
Parker went on the IL Monday due to elbow inflammation, and manager Blake Butera revealed the sprain diagnosis on Tuesday. The lefty had been a starter for the Nats in 2024 and ’25, but served in a long relief role this season, going 3-3 with a 6.58 ERA in 39 2/3 innings over 22 outings.
In addition to wiping out the rest of this year and likely next if he does have TJS, this injury could, at least temporarily, end Parker’s tenure in DC; he will qualify for a fourth year of arbitration eligibility as a Super Two this winter, and if he is going to miss most if not all of 2027, he could be a non-tender casualty to avoid paying him for a full season of inactivity.
Parker’s injury also puts more strain on a pitching staff that also lost Richard Lovelady to a triceps strain this week, used Brad Lord – who has thrown 54 1/3 innings in 25 relief appearances – and Andrew Alvarez in tandem as their nominal fifth starter in Wednesday’s series finale with the Red Sox, and saw lefty DJ Herz, rehabbing from his own TJS, shut down after starting a rehab assignment in mid-June due to a flexor strain.
There is potential relief coming, however, as Trevor Williams, also recovering from an internal brace surgery, began his rehab assignment on Sunday and could be back sometime in August.
