Nationals' Starting Rotation Struggles Impact Playoff Aspirations

Several MLB teams are struggling with their starting pitching rotations early in the season, raising concerns about their competitiveness. The Cleveland Guardians' rotation has underperformed, with only Logan Allen posting solid numbers while key starters Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams have been inconsistent, prompting worry about the team's ability to stay afloat. The San Francisco Giants face similar issues, as more than half of their rotation has delivered lackluster results despite flashes of strong pitching, underscoring the need for improvement even as it's still early in the season. The Baltimore Orioles' rotation has been decimated by injuries, forcing the team to consider unproven options, though their bullpen remains a relative strength. The Washington Nationals, meanwhile, have seen promise from young starters MacKenzie Gore and Mitchell Parker, but their rotation depth is lacking due to underperforming veterans and injuries, while their bullpen has struggled with the worst ERA in baseball. Across these teams, early season pitching woes threaten to undermine otherwise promising lineups and ambitions for improvement.