Can Jake Irvin get back to his best

In the first half of the season, Jake Irvin was a revelation. He was a workhorse and looked like a potential frontline starter for the Nationals. Maybe not an ace, but a front of the rotation guy.

That run was punctuated by a July 4th gem, where Irvin went 8 scoreless innings, only allowing one hit and one walk against the Mets. The Nationals won that game 1-0 after a Jesse Winker home run. It proved to be the high water mark for both Irvin, and the team as a whole. After that performance, Irvin had a 2.80 ERA on the season.

Irvin would wear down as the season went along. He posted a 6.50 ERA in his last 15 starts, as he limped down the stretch. However, his fall off is explainable, and there…