Josiah Gray might not be the first name Nationals fans reach for when they think about the club’s future, but he could end up being one of the most important. After everything that has gone wrong since April 2024, the right-hander is back in the picture, and the comparison that makes the most sense is Cade Cavalli.
Gray was one of the big pieces Washington got back when it sent Trea Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers. Keibert Ruiz has already settled in as the team’s long-term answer behind the plate, and the Nationals rewarded him with an 8-year $50 million dollar extension in 2023. Gray, though, was supposed to be the headlining arm - the future ace, the pitcher who would help define the rebuild.
For a while, that vision looked real. In only his second season, Gray posted a 3.91 ERA and made an All-Star team.
He looked like a rising star. Then the injuries took over.
Tommy John surgery in April 2024 changed everything. Since then, Gray has had a long stretch of rehab work, including spending all of last season at the spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida while the rest of the team played through the 2025 season. He talked about how difficult it was to go through that alone while his teammates were out there competing.
He seemed ready to get back this season, but a right flexor strain in spring training shut him down again and sent him to the 60-day IL. Even so, there have been rumblings that Gray could return this month.
Right now, he is at Double-A Harrisburg in a limited role, and he said he believes he can help fix part of the Nationals bullpen problems. I personally would love to see him log a couple of innings out of the pen.
It would be a great feel-good story heading into the offseason.
That’s where the Cavalli comparison comes in. Both pitchers were highly touted prospects.
Both spent years trying to get healthy after injuries kept interrupting their chances. Cavalli kept showing up to spring training with a chance to win a rotation job, only to have injuries wipe out most or all of the season.
This year, Cavalli finally got there. Healthy at last, he has done more than just reestablish himself - he has locked down the number one spot in the rotation and, in my opinion, become a true ace.
A stopper. Every fifth day, the Nationals feel like they have a real shot to win.
Gray could be on that same path next year. The stuff is not identical, and there are real differences between the two pitchers, but the broader story is easy to see.
If everything goes right, Gray should finally be healthy and fighting for a place in a rotation that is still very much up for grabs. And unlike Cavalli, he won’t have to look far for an example of how to make that climb back.
In Other News...
Nationals Just Got A Key Arm Back With Big Questions Ahead
Connelly Early is back on the mound for the Nationals, taking his first rehab start in the Bridge League as he works his way back from injury. The controlled setting gives Washington a chance to ease him in while seeing where his arm stands after a stop-and-start stretch, and it also keeps the focus on the long view with a pitcher the organization still wants to develop carefully.
Earlys return adds another name to a rotation picture that has been anything but simple, but there is still plenty of uncertainty around how much he can help in the near term. His recent injuries have complicated the timeline, and while the Nationals are getting a look at his arsenal again, the bigger question is whether there will be enough time left for him to make any kind of impact in the majors this season. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Top Prospect Is Suddenly On A Faster Track Than Expected
Eli Willits is moving again, and this one says plenty about how quickly the Nationals want to test their top prospect. The five-tool shortstop, ranked fourth in baseball by MLB.com, is being sent up to Double-A Harrisburg after opening his season at High-A Wilmington, giving him a brief look against a tougher level before the year winds down.
The fast rise only sharpens the focus on what comes next for one of the sports most closely watched young players. Willits is expected to begin the 2027 season in Harrisburg, and the bigger question now is how quickly he can keep climbing from there as Washington tracks whether he can put himself in position for an even bigger leap. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals May Have Found A Bullpen Piece Fans Didn't See Coming
The Nationals added a bullpen arm at the deadline in a move that flew a little under the radar, sending outfielder Christian Franklin to Baltimore for reliever Joe Glassey. Since arriving in the organization, Glassey has moved quickly through the system, jumping from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Rochester and giving the club some intriguing depth at a spot that has been a constant focus for a rebuilding team.
Glasseys early work has been encouraging enough to keep him on the radar, especially with the way he has handled each level so far. The right-hander has shown a pitch mix that the Nationals believe could translate to the majors, and if that carries over, he could become one of those late-season additions who starts as a depth move and ends up mattering more than expected. [Read more 🡒]