The Nationals got exactly what they needed last night, and now they get a shot at turning it into a series win.
Washington’s comeback victory was one of its best of the season, and it set up today’s afternoon game with a chance to keep the momentum rolling in Game No. 150.
LHP Andrew Alvarez will take the mound for the Nats, and he’s been one of the bright spots of the year. In roughly a half-season of work, he has already put up +2.1 WAR.
The roster shuffle around him brought a few twists. Clayton Beeter was sent to Triple-A after turning in one of his strongest relief outings of the season last night, a clean 1-2-3 eighth inning capped by a strikeout of Mike Trout.
Because he’ll be in the minors for less than 20 days, the move saves Washington from using a minor league option. Taking his place is LHP Richard Lovelady, who is back from the 60-day IL.
There was also a health note on Harry Ford, who injured his wrist/hand on a swing. He was not placed on the IL today, so the situation remains something to watch.
The Nationals also claimed right-handed pitcher Chase Hampton off outright waivers from the New York Yankees and optioned him to Double-A Harrisburg. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron was moved to the 60-day Injured List.
There’s still some ground to cover in the final stretch. Since the 2019 World Series season, Washington has not finished with more than 71 wins.
With 13 games left in 2026, the Nats are four wins away from reaching that mark and five wins away from getting to 73, which would keep them from a 90-loss season. A 5-8 finish would do it.
The offense has done its part. Washington ranks third in MLB with 760 runs scored, averaging 5.10 per game.
The pitching side has allowed 4.74 earned runs per game, and the gap has largely been shaped by unearned runs tied to errors. As a result, the Nationals sit at a +1 run differential.
Manager Blake Butera’s bullpen chart is in place, and the larger sample sizes are starting to tell the story. FanGraphs WAR is now big enough to help project out the full season, while the OAA defense metric is giving a clearer read on what the Nationals have - and what they don’t.
Los Angeles Angels vs. Washington Nationals
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 🡒]
Nationals Bullpen Reset Just Took A Turn Fans Saw Coming
The Nationals finally snapped their seven-game skid with a 4-3 win over the Angels, but the bigger bullpen storyline came once the game was over. Washington moved quickly to make a roster change, sending right-hander Clayton Beeter to Triple-A Rochester as the club continues sorting out the late innings after a long stretch of uneven relief work.
Beeter had been the teams primary closer for much of the season, but the second half brought a different version of him, with a rising ERA and the kind of control issues that made his role increasingly shaky. The demotion fits the direction many around the team likely saw coming, but it also leaves Washington with another bullpen question to answer as it tries to build some momentum off a much-needed win. [Read more 🡒]