The Washington Nationals may not be in the postseason chase themselves, but this trip out West gives them a real chance to stir things up before October arrives.
After splitting a two-game set with the Atlanta Braves and finishing a stretch of 10 straight home games, Washington is now headed to face the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in back-to-back series. It’s a stiff assignment for a young club, but it also puts the Nationals in position to affect the National League race in a meaningful way over six games.
The first stop is Los Angeles, where the Dodgers still look like a heavyweight even with some recent wobble. They’ve dropped six of their last 10 and are 22-21 since the All-Star break, a stretch that reflects the inconsistency and injuries they’ve dealt with. Even so, they remain the two-time defending World Series champions and the clear favorite to chase a third straight title, something no National League team has ever done.
Washington opens that series Friday with Jackson Kent (1-2, 5.59 ERA) against Blake Snell (2-1, 2.42 ERA). Saturday brings Cade Cavalli (12-5, 3.12 ERA) opposite Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 2.79 ERA), and Sunday has Andrew Alvarez (2-6, 2.47 ERA) listed against an unnamed Dodgers starter.
Kent, the top prospect now working as a rookie, gets the first crack at a Dodgers lineup that ranks No. 6 with a .743 OPS against left-handed pitching. He’s coming off the best start of his brief major league career, and Washington will hope that outing gave him something to build on. The Nationals have actually been excellent against lefties this season, posting a .780 OPS that ranks No. 3, but Snell is still a difficult assignment.
Cavalli gives Washington its best shot to match up on the mound in the middle game, though he’ll have to deal with Glasnow, who has been excellent since returning from the injured list. That matchup stands out as the one to watch in the series, especially with Cavalli facing a lineup loaded with talent.
By Sunday, the Dodgers still may not have settled on a starter, with multiple pitchers on the injured list and Shohei Ohtani potentially being shut down for the year on the mound.
The bigger picture for Washington is what this series could mean for Los Angeles in the standings. The Dodgers appear likely to win the division, but they are tied with the Braves for the second-best record in the National League. That matters because the top two teams in each league get a bye, so the Nationals have a chance to dent those hopes if they play well.
Then comes San Diego, where the stakes are different but just as real. The Padres sit third in the division on Sept. 4, 10 games behind the Dodgers, and their path to the NL West title looks blocked unless something dramatic happens. They are still very much in the wild-card fight, though, entering the series a half-game out of the final NL spot.
That makes this another important stop for Washington, especially with the Padres sliding. San Diego has lost seven of its last 10 and is on a two-game losing streak, though that could change before the Nationals arrive.
The Padres’ three-game set with Washington begins Monday, Sept. 7, with Will Dion (1-1, 3.38 ERA) facing Randy Vazquez (10-6, 4.02 ERA). Dion is listed as an opener who will work multiple innings, and there’s at least some possibility Washington could be looking at him for a longer role going forward.
Tuesday, Sept. 8, has Jake Irvin (2-8, 5.27 ERA) taking on Padres trade deadline acquistion Casey Mize (5-9, 3.64 ERA). Wednesday, Sept. 9, closes the swing with Jackson Kent (1-2, 5.59 ERA) matched up against Walker Buehler (8-6, 4.66 ERA).
Washington may not have much left to chase in the standings, but manager Blake Butera has made it clear he wants the group to keep competing. If the Nationals do that over these six games, they can leave a mark on the National League race even without being part of it.
In Other News...
Nationals' Late-Inning Problem Is Wasting Starts Like Cade Cavalli's
Cade Cavalli gave the Nationals exactly the kind of start they have been searching for, working six innings and limiting the Dodgers to two runs while striking out eight. It was the sort of outing that should have put Washington in position to build on a strong night, especially with a 4-2 lead in hand and the offense doing enough early to matter.
Instead, the late innings again turned into the familiar problem. Clayton Beeters command wavered, the bullpen could not finish the job, and manager Blake Butera was left addressing a group that has too often put pressure back on the rest of the roster. For a club trying to stay in the playoff race, starts like Cavallis keep getting undercut by a relief corps that has made too many good nights feel unfinished. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Rebuild May Finally Be Ready For A Real Splash
The Nationals have already cleared last years win total while sticking to a disciplined spending plan, and that combination is starting to make the rebuild feel a little more real. For a club that has spent recent seasons trying to reset without losing sight of the long view, the next phase may be less about restraint and more about timing, especially with so much payroll flexibility opening up soon.
Andrew Friedmans recent comments about free-agent spending fit neatly into the conversation around Washingtons next move, because the organization may finally be in position to take a calculated swing without abandoning its low-payroll identity. If the Nationals are going to make a meaningful jump, the coming offseason looks like the kind of window where they could add real impact while still keeping the books cleaner than most of their peers. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Spring Slate Sets Up Plenty Of Familiar Early Intrigue
Spring training is still a little more than a year away, but the Nationals already know what their 2027 exhibition slate will look like, and it is packed with the kind of familiar early tests that usually tell a few stories before the games count. Washington will see all four of its National League East rivals along the way, along with a mix of outside competition that includes the Astros, Twins and Red Sox, giving the club a fairly representative run of opponents as camp opens in West Palm Beach.
The calendar is set to start in late February and roll through March, with the exact first-pitch times still to come. For a Nationals team that will be trying to sort out roles, pace the roster through camp and get an early read on division competition, the shape of the schedule matters almost as much as the opponents themselves, even before the times are posted and the daily rhythm of spring begins to take form. [Read more 🡒]