The Nationals are heading into a brief two-game series with the Phillies tonight, and while the schedule says this is just another divisional set, the pitching matchups make it feel like a serious exam. Washington, fresh off a sweep of the Angels, sends rookie Jackson Kent to the mound tonight and Cade Cavalli out there tomorrow. Philadelphia counters with Christopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler, two arms that have been among the best in baseball this season.
That matters for a Nationals team that has had its share of pitching problems in 2026. But there’s also a reason for some optimism beyond this week, because one of the organization’s most anticipated young arms is getting closer to the majors.
Jarlin Susana, the last prospect acquired in the 2022 Juan Soto trade, has been promoted to AAA Rochester. That puts the hard-throwing right-hander one step away from the big leagues and squarely in the conversation for a possible rotation spot as soon as next season, if there is one.
Susana’s path this year has been worth watching closely. Early in the season, there was real uncertainty about how much he would even be able to pitch after the injury issues he dealt with in 2025. Instead, he has bounced back well and put himself in position to be part of the Nationals’ future plans.
According to MLB Pipeline, Susana is the No. 67 prospect in baseball and the third-highest ranked player in the Nationals’ system. The appeal is obvious: a 70-grade fastball and a 70-grade slider give him the kind of arsenal that can play at the highest level. The big question is whether he can keep piling up enough strikes.
So far this season, Susana has 34 strikeouts against just seven walks in 17.2 innings between High-A Wilmington and AA Harrisburg. Washington has also been careful with his workload, aiming to keep him healthy and ready to contribute in 2027.
At 22 years old, with that kind of stuff and the kind of results he’s already shown, Susana has the ingredients to become a major weapon for the Nationals very soon.
In Other News...
Nationals Still Have One Meaningful Fight Left Against The Mets
With playoff hopes gone, the final stretch has taken on a different kind of meaning for the Nationals. They are officially out of contention with 11 games left, but there is still something to play for in the NL East, where every result now matters in the race to stay out of the division cellar and finish the year on a more respectable note.
The Mets remain right there in the standings, which keeps the September calendar from feeling like pure formality. Washington has a chance to close the season with some momentum and improve on recent years by locking up fourth place, and the matchup ahead should give this team one more chance to define its finish on its own terms. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Just Handed Jarlin Susana A Big Fall Test
Jarlin Susana is getting a meaningful fall assignment after a season interrupted by lat surgery and capped with a move to Triple-A Rochester. The Nationals top prospect will be part of the 2026 Arizona Fall League, where his stuff and health will be under a bright spotlight, and where the organization is sending a sizable contingent to Salt River to keep the development pipeline moving.
Susana arrives there ranked among the AFLs better prospects, which only raises the attention around what he shows over those weeks in the desert. Washington also has five more players headed to the same roster, a reminder that this trip is about more than one arm and more than one level - it is a chance for the Nationals to get a deeper read on a group they hope can matter soon. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Momentum Gets A Real Test Against A Phillies Team Under Pressure
The sweep of the Angels gave Washington a welcome lift late in the 2026 season, and now the Nationals get a much better read on where that momentum really stands. Philadelphia arrives with more on the line, clinging to a slim edge in a crowded National League wild card race, so this series carries a different kind of weight than the one Washington just finished.
Jackson Kent is set to open the matchup against Cristopher Sanchez, a test that immediately asks whether the Nationals recent surge can travel against a contender playing under pressure. The pitching only gets more intriguing from there, with Cade Cavalli lined up to oppose Zack Wheeler in a game that should tell plenty about how far Washington still has to go and whether Philadelphia can steady itself before the race tightens further. [Read more 🡒]