Mitchell Parker: Everything you need to know

Parker gave up two runs on three hits and a walk over three relief innings Tuesday to record his first save of the season in a win over the Guardians. He struck out five. The 26-year-old southpaw actually fulfilled two separate requirements for a save, as he entered the game with the Nationals ahead 4-1 and stayed in the game the rest of the way after they tacked on a couple insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Parker has worked more than one inning in five of seven May appearances, posting a 5.74 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 15:4 K:BB through 15.2 innings with two holds in addition to Tuesday's save, but a lack of reliable bullpen options for Washington could keep him in the high-leverage mix.

Parker (1-0) picked up the win Tuesday against the Pirates, allowing two hits with no walks and five strikeouts across two scoreless innings. After PJ Poulin and Miles Mikolas combined to surrender four runs on five hits and two walks with two home runs allowed across 4.1 innings, Parker was called on in relief after he was recalled from Triple-A earlier in the day Tuesday. It was an impressive season debut for the left-hander after he failed to make the big-league club out of spring training. With Mikolas continuing to get pummeled to the tune of an 11.49 ERA and six home runs allowed, Parker could be a candidate to replace the veteran in the Nationals' rotation moving forward.

The Nationals recalled Parker from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. He's absorbing the roster and bullpen spot vacated by Jackson Rutledge. Parker boasts a 16:3 K:BB over 13.1 innings in his first three starts with Rochester this season, though that's come with a 6.08 ERA. The lefty will give the bullpen some length behind Tuesday's scheduled starter, Miles Mikolas, who's lasted a total of just 7.1 frames over his last two starts.