The Washington Nationals are back at Nationals Park tonight for game two of their series with the Colorado Rockies, and the matchup brings another left-on-left look on the mound.
Washington is set to start Andrew Alvarez, who enters with a 2-5 record and a 3.60 ERA. Colorado will counter with Kyle Freeland, who is 4-10 with a 6.37 ERA. Alvarez has been especially sharp lately, posting a 2.36 ERA with seven earned runs over 26.2 innings in his last five games, including four starts, while holding opponents to a .172 average, 16-for-93.
The Nationals are coming off a loud start to the homestand. They opened their 10-game stay at home with a 13-3 win over the Rockies last night, and Daylen Lile led the way with a homer, a double and a career-high five RBIs. Cade Cavalli picked up his 12th win after allowing three runs or fewer for the 26th time this season, which is the most such starts in Major League Baseball.
That win also fit into a strong run at home for Washington. The Nationals have taken eight of their last 12 games at Nationals Park and are 16-15 there since June 13. Tonight is also Game 8 of a tough stretch in which Washington is playing 16 games in 16 days.
Looking ahead, the Nationals and Rockies meet again on Wednesday in the third game of the four-game set. Washington has not yet announced its starter, while Colorado is expected to send Tanner Gordon, who is 0-4 with a 5.75 ERA.
In the series finale, the Nationals are scheduled to use Jake Irvin, who is 2-8 with a 5.82 ERA, against Rockies right-hander Gabriel Hughes, who is 0-5 with a 6.54 ERA. Irvin has been effective in his career against Colorado, going 1-0 with a 3.70 ERA and a .191 opponents' average, along with 31 strikeouts and four walks in four starts.
In Other News...
Nationals First Rounder Is Giving Fans A Reason To Dream Early
Chris Hacopian is off to a promising start in High-A Wilmington, and the early returns are exactly the sort of thing that can get a fan base thinking ahead. The Nationals 2026 first-round pick has already shown a mature approach at the plate, posting a .263/.391/.342 line through 12 games with eight walks, eight strikeouts and a pair of stolen bases, while also showing some pop with his first professional home run.
For Washington, the intrigue goes beyond a hot first month in the minors. Hacopian is still years from the majors, but his status matters in a broader roster picture because a possible 2027 MLB lockout has already become part of the conversation around player development and flexibility. Players outside the 40-man roster would remain in the minors, which is one reason young prospects like Hacopian are being watched so closely as the organization builds for the future. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Collapse Now Has CJ Abrams At The Center Of It
Since the trade deadline, the Nationals have drifted from competitive to ragged, with the rotation and the mood around the club both taking a hit. Outside of Cade Cavalli starts, the team has had a hard time finding much of anything to hang onto, and the slide has put a spotlight on the everyday core to set a better tone for a club that suddenly looks short on answers.
CJ Abrams has become one of the players at the center of that conversation, not because of one isolated issue but because the shortstop has been asked to adjust while the losses keep piling up. The larger concern in Washington is no longer just results on the field. It is whether the group can restore some edge and accountability before the season slips any further out of reach. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Rout Just Pushed A Slumping Team To A Public Breaking Point
An early lead quickly turned into another ugly afternoon for the Nationals, who were beaten by the Rockies and watched the game swing hard in the wrong direction. Washingtons August has been defined by inconsistency on the mound and a lineup thinned by injuries, and this one fit the pattern far too neatly after the club could not hold onto the opening momentum.
Blake Buteras postgame comments made clear how much the loss stood out even against that backdrop. The manager publicly questioned the teams effort and performance, a sharp acknowledgment from a club that has spent much of the month searching for something sturdier than flashes and frustration. With the skid continuing, the bigger concern is no longer just the score from one game but how quickly this group can stop the slide from becoming its identity. [Read more 🡒]