Josiah Gray, now an All-Star, embraces being early face of Nationals rebuild

When rising up in New York, Josiah Gray remembered going to the outdated Yankee Stadium and seeing ads for that yr’s All-Star Game on the venue. He badly needed to go, however a possibility by no means materialized. 

Fifteen years later, Gray will lastly get to go to an All-Star Game — albeit on the alternative aspect of the nation in Seattle. And he’ll be greater than a spectator. 

“Definitely shocked, but it was really cool to get that nomination,” the Washington Nationals pitcher mentioned. 

Gray could have been stunned to earn the nod, however the 25-year-old was greater than a worthy candidate because of his dramatic enchancment on the mound this season. By slicing his ERA by practically two full runs, and increasing his pitching arsenal, Gray has began to resemble the pitcher the Nationals envisioned he might develop into after they acquired him as one of many centerpieces within the 2021 commerce that despatched stars Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

When he arrived within the District that summer season, Gray tried to draw back from the very fact he was all of the sudden the face of Washington’s new rebuild. The expectations? The stress? All Gray needed to do was pitch. 

But as he’s set to make his first All-Star look later this month — because the Nationals’ lone consultant — Gray has realized to embrace the duty that comes with being the kind of participant the franchise is relying on for its rebuild to be successful.

“I don’t like being the center of attention for a lot of things, but I kind of accept it,” Gray mentioned. “I’m just trying to let my play on the field do the talking. It’s been a lot of fun to be one of the guys that this franchise wants to build around, be a piece of this organization that they can stick with for a while.”

Thinking again to 2021, Gray mentioned it “definitely took a second” to course of the up-and-down nature of being a rookie. After arriving in July, Gray posted a 2.89 ERA by way of his first 5 begins — solely to file an 11.42 ERA over the following 4. The ping-pong nature of his outings required endurance, a perspective that may be arduous for any 23-year-old to have. 

These days, Gray mentioned he’s capable of handle these “ups and downs a little bit better now.” To open the season, Gray surrendered 5 earned runs — and three homers — to the Atlanta Braves in a 7-1 loss. But he didn’t let the tough efficiency bleed into his subsequent few outings. In truth, 5 earned runs and three homers stay season worsts for Gray, who has a 2.99 ERA in 16 begins since that April 1 loss. 

Part of Gray’s enchancment stems from the best way that the pitcher now goes about attacking opposing batters. In the spring, Gray centered on including a cutter to his arsenal. He’s additionally tried to throw extra pitches that purpose to generate contact fairly than strikeouts — resulting in extra environment friendly outings for the previous second-rounder. 

After permitting a league-worst 38 dwelling runs in 2022, Gray has solely allowed 12 this season, one fewer than Scherzer has allowed with the Mets. 

“(People) get to see him every five days, I get to see him every day and how much time he puts in to get better,” supervisor Dave Martinez mentioned of Gray. “I’m proud of him. He deserves to be there. He’s going to represent us well.” 

Upon discovering out he made the All-Star Game after Sunday’s recreation, Gray began to cry when addressing his teammates. He then referred to as his mom, girlfriend and buddies to allow them to know the information.

If all goes properly, the Nationals may have extra than simply Gray to symbolize them within the years to come back. Brady House and James Wood — two of Washington’s prime prospects — had been named to this yr’s Futures Game, as an illustration. And Washington has different younger gamers resembling shortstop C.J. Abrams and catcherKeibert Ruiz who’ve proven promise within the majors, and others (Robert Hassell, Elijah Green) who’re extremely rated within the minors. 

But overlooking Nationals Park, an enormous poster of Gray hangs from a parking storage — situated to the left of banners of Stephen Strasburg and Abrams.