Nationals Unveil 2026 Roster: Youth Meets Vets

It's March 25th. Welcome to MLB News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story.

The Washington Nationals have locked in their 26-man opening-day roster for the 20-26 season.

Though kick things off against the Chicago Cubs on March 26th, with the young right-hander

Cade Cavali earning the starting nod. The pitching staff got a big overhaul, blending

holdovers with new veterans like Foster Griffin, Zach Lattell, and Miles Mikolas in the rotation.

Earlier this offseason, the team made several trades and waiver claims to build depth, especially

in the bullpen. Spring training in West Palm Beach turned into a real battle for spots,

shaking up plans like sliding Jake Irvin into the rotation ahead of Brad Lorde.

Who shifts to relief duty? Fans aren't too shocked by most choices, given the camp

cuts along the way. Still, carrying extra infu of backups like Nassim Nunez, Jose

Tena, and trade pickup Jorbe Vivas, stands out as a flexible move for matchups.

Catchers Kiebert Ruiz and Drew Millas hold down the position, while top prospects like Dylan

Cruz head to Triple A for more seasoning. Newcomers could make the biggest splash, from

relievers like Clayton Beeder, closing games, to Outfielders James Wood and Dailin Lyle

working on there. Gloves alongside Jacob Young. Questions linger on how the vets hold up,

and if injuries open doors for callups. As the nationals head north, this mix of youth

and experience sets up an intriguing start to see who steps up first.