Jake Irvin is set to be the Nationals number 2 starter this season after a promising 2024 campaign. While he struggled in the second half, Irvin was a rock in the Nats rotation, throwing a team high 187.2 innings last season. However, his stuff did not look the same in his outing against the Cardinals today.
The fastball velocity is the biggest issue. He averaged 91.4 MPH on his heater today and topped out at 93. For context, his heater averaged 93.9 MPH in 2024. This velocity dip is alarming for a guy who throws either a fastball or sinker 58.