Lake Park grad Kent solid in MLB debut for Nationals against Cubs
WASHINGTON — Jackson Kent made his major-league debut Wednesday night for Washington against the Chicago Cubs after the Nationals selected the contract of the 23-year-old pitcher from Triple-A Rochester.
Kent, a Lake Park High School graduate from Hanover Park, lasted four-plus innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts and five walks in a 78-pitch outing. The left-hander exited with two runners on and the game tied at 1 in the top of the fifth after Pete Crow-Armstrong hit an RBI double. Alex Bregman followed with a three-run home run off reliever Jake Bird. The Nationals evened the score at 4 in the bottom half of the inning.
Kent, who struck out Crow-Armstrong to lead off the game and again in the third inning, was 9-4 with a 3.72 ERA in 20 starts between Double-A Harrisburg and Rochester this season, with 105 strikeouts in 94 1/3 minor-league innings.
“There will be nerves,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said before the game. “There will be excitement, of course. There’s no way to hide that. I want him to go out there and make the most of it. You only get one debut and you’re lucky to have it because a lot of people want it. To be able to be in this spot and do it here at home, hopefully he soaks it up and is also he’s able to calm some of those nerves.”
The Nationals designated right-hander Miles Mikolas for assignment to make room for Kent on the roster.
Kent, a left-hander who was a fourth-round draft pick in 2024 out of the University of Arizona, is the No. 8-ranked prospect in the Nationals organization, according to MLB.com, and could receive an extended look in the final seven weeks of the season. Butera said he thinks Kent has started to develop an identity of a pitcher who can consistently find the zone, amass strikeouts and offer a tough look for hitters.
“That’s not to say he’s going to come up here today and just have it figured out from the jump, but to be able to do what he did in the minor leagues at such a high level, Double A, Triple A, it’s not easy,” Butera said. “He’s earned the opportunity to be up here and make his debut.”
Mikolas, who signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal in February, was 3-9 with a 5.82 ERA. Often paired with an opener, the 37-year-old was the oldest player to appear for the Nationals this season and one of two older than 31. He reached 10 years of major-league service time last week.
It is the second time this month the Nationals cut ties with a veteran starter. They designated Zack Littell for assignment Aug. 5 and released him two days later. Littell signed Monday with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
WASHINGTON — Jackson Kent was scheduled to make his major league debut Wednesday night for Washington against the Cubs after the Nationals selected the contract of the 23-year-old pitcher from Triple-A Rochester.
Kent, a Lake Park High School graduate from Hanover Park, was 9-4 with a 3.72 ERA in 20 starts between Double-A Harrisburg and Rochester this season. The left-hander had 105 strikeouts in 94 1/3 minor-league innings.
“There will be nerves,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “There will be excitement, of course. There’s no way to hide that. I want him to go out there and make the most of it. You only get one debut and you’re lucky to have it because a lot of people want it. To be able to be in this spot and do it here at home, hopefully he soaks it up and is also he’s able to calm some of those nerves.”
The Nationals designated right-hander Miles Mikolas for assignment to make room for Kent on the roster.
Kent, who was a fourth-round draft pick in 2024 out of the University of Arizona, is the No. 8-ranked prospect in the Nationals organization, according to MLB.com, and could receive an extended look in the final seven weeks of the season. Butera said he thinks Kent has started to develop an identity of a pitcher who can consistently find the zone, amass strikeouts and offer a tough look for hitters.
“That’s not to say he’s going to come up here today and just have it figured out from the jump, but to be able to do what he did in the minor leagues at such a high level, Double A, Triple A, it’s not easy. He’s earned the opportunity to be up here and make his debut.”
Mikolas, who signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal in February, was 3-9 with a 5.82 ERA. Often paired with an opener, the 37-year-old was the oldest player to appear for the Nationals this season and one of two older than 31. He reached 10 years of major-league service time last week.
It is the second time this month the Nationals cut ties with a veteran starter. They designated Zack Littell for assignment Aug. 5 and released him two days later. Littell signed Monday with the Arizona Diamondbacks.