The Washington Nationals have seen this movie before: a bullpen collapse, a late hole, and a game that seems ready to slip away. This time, though, the script changed. The offense kept fighting, the Nats got a lift in extra innings, and they pulled out their second walk-off win of the season while taking the series from the Angels.
A lot of the attention starts with CJ Abrams, and for good reason. He’s been in a rough stretch lately, but this series showed a sharper version of him.
It wasn’t just a case of cashing in against weak pitching, either. Walbert Urena was sitting over 99 MPH, and Abrams still jumped the Nationals in front with an RBI double in the first.
That hit also fit into a bigger picture for Abrams. His OPS is still below where it was a couple months ago, but the final stretch matters here. He has a shot to finish strong, and there are still milestones in play: one stolen base shy of a 30-30 season and four RBI away from 100.
The steal that mattered most came in the bottom of the 10th. With runners on first and second and one out, Abrams read the pitcher and took off for third without a throw.
That swipe set up the finish. Harry Ford then rolled a ground ball to short, Zach Neto booted it while trying to deal with Abrams at the plate, and the Nationals had their second walk-off of the year.
But the real story was how the game got that far at all.
Through seven innings, Washington looked in control. Andrew Alvarez was dealing, turning in one of the best outings of his career.
He threw 7 scoreless innings, struck out 8, and allowed just 1 hit. With a 4-0 lead heading into the eighth, this should have been clean and comfortable.
Instead, the bullpen opened the door again. Brad Lord’s issues late in games continued in a 3-run eighth that included a 2-run homer.
Then came Will Dion, and Nats fans had every reason to brace themselves. The short lefty ended up blowing the Nationals’ 39th save of the season. Denzer Guzman delivered the big blow for the Angels with a double down the line to tie it, and Moises Ballesteros pushed Los Angeles ahead with a sac fly.
Down by one entering the ninth, Washington could have folded the way it has so often this season. It didn’t.
Against Angels closer Ben Joyce, the Nationals scratched and clawed. Jose Tena started things with a walk.
James Wood struck out, but Tena stole second and moved to third on an error. That left the game in the hands of Andres Chaparro, who came through with a base hit to keep Washington alive and send it to extras.
From there, Jack Sinclair gave the Nationals a huge scoreless inning in the 10th, and the rest belonged to the offense. The Nats used speed, pressure, and just enough contact to finish the job and secure the series win.
In Other News...
Nationals Depth Arms Are Creating A Late-Season Question
Late in the season, the Nationals lower-level pitching inventory is still offering small reminders that the organization has more than one arm worth tracking. At Rochester, DJ Herz turned in another solid outing, working 4 innings and limiting the damage to one run as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre came away with a 5-3 win. In the same game, Rochester also got a look at Cayden Wallaces power, with his 11th homer of the year providing one of the more notable swings of the day.
The more interesting tension for Washington is how those depth arms are stacking up in the system at once. New Hampshire fell 2-1 in 10 innings after a walk-off two-run homer, but the game had been shaped earlier by scoreless work from Yoel Tejada Jr. and Alex Clemmey before Thomas Schultz entered late and the inning unraveled. For a club watching closely for rotation help beyond the obvious names, those mixed results only sharpen the question of who is pushing closest to the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Lottery Odds Could Shape Their Next Big Roster Break
The MLB draft lottery has already changed how the Nationals think about finishing at the bottom of the standings. Instead of the old worst-record-first setup, the three worst teams now share equal odds at the top pick, and Washington has already lived through the volatility of that system, going second in 2023 before landing the first pick in 2025. For a franchise trying to rebuild through the draft, the difference between a favorable bounce and a modest slide can shape the next wave of talent.
Looking ahead to 2027, the lottery picture is already starting to take shape, with some clubs removed from the pool because of market size or recent top selections. The Nationals are part of that conversation again, and the broader appeal is obvious: one draw can alter the course of an entire roster plan, especially when the next class is still coming into focus and the early pecking order remains fluid. [Read more 🡒]
Nats Push For Series Win As Pitching Plans Suddenly Get Interesting
A win in the previous game left Washington with a chance to take the series, and the pitching picture around it has changed quickly. Andrew Alvarez is set to start as the left-hander gets the ball, while the clubs offense has continued to do enough to keep the Nationals in a good spot, with a positive run differential and a top-three ranking in MLB in runs scored this season.
The roster churn has been part of the story, too, with the Nationals making several moves as they try to keep the staff moving in the right direction. Harry Ford is dealing with an injury concern but avoided an injured-list stint, and the clubs latest mix of arms now gives the next game a little more intrigue than it had a day ago. [Read more 🡒]