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Andrew Alvarez will make his major league debut Monday afternoon against the Marlins, the 26-year-old left-hander set to be promoted by the Nationals from Triple-A Rochester to take the rotation spot that opened up when MacKenzie Gore landed on the 15-day injured list.
Interim manager Miguel Cairo announced the decision this morning, with Alvarez filling one of two allotted September call-up slots for the Nats. The other, a position player, will be announced prior to Monday’s game.
Alvarez doesn’t rank among the organization’s top 30 prospects, but he has outperformed expectations throughout most of his minor league career. Named the organization’s Pitcher of the Year in 2023 after posting a 2.99 ERA and 1.168 WHIP for Single-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg, he reached Triple-A last season and has spent all of this season with Rochester.
Though his overall 2025 numbers (3-7, 4.10 ERA, 1.350 WHIP in 25 starts) don’t sparkle, Alvarez has stepped up his performance in recent weeks. Over his last six starts, he’s 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. He last pitched for the Red Wings on Tuesday, which lines him up to start Monday afternoon at Nationals Park on five days’ rest.
“He’s been one of the most consistent pitchers in Triple-A,” Cairo said. “He throws strikes, and that’s something I like. He was Pitcher of the Year, I think, a couple years ago. We want someone that can throw strikes. When you’ve got someone that can throw strikes and keep us in the game, that will be awesome.”
A 12th-round pick in the 2021 Draft from Cal Poly, the California native will become the sixth pitcher to make his MLB debut for the Nationals this season, joining Brad Lord, Cole Henry, Shinnosuke Ogasawara, PJ Poulin and Andry Lara.
Alvarez figures to make several starts in place of Gore, who was placed on the 15-day IL on Saturday with left shoulder inflammation. The staff ace and All-Star expressed optimism he’ll be able to return before season’s end, though club officials may be hesitant to rush him back before the end of September.
* Jarlin Susana has been diagnosed with right triceps soreness after departing Saturday’s start for Double-A Harrisburg in the second inning.
Susana, the organization’s third-ranked prospect behind Eli Willits and Travis Sykora, had been on a dominant run since returning from an elbow injury last month, delivering a 1.83 ERA, 0.915 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings over his previous four starts. The 21-year-old struggled Saturday against Altoona, though, charged with three runs on one hit and three walks in only 1 2/3 innings before departing alongside a trainer after only 35 pitches.
The Nationals said today Susana was diagnosed with triceps soreness, a seemingly minor ailment though one that could be a sign of a more serious injury. Sykora also was diagnosed with triceps soreness after he departed a July 5 start for Harrisburg (also against Altoona). When he continued to experience pain as he ramped up his throwing program several weeks later, Sykora underwent an MRI, which revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament, requiring Tommy John surgery that will sideline him for most of the 2026 season.
Susana’s initial elbow injury suffered in May was diagnosed as a Grade 1 UCL sprain. He returned to competitive action 2 1/2 months later and went on to make seven total minor league starts prior to Saturday’s abbreviated outing.
