The Nationals spent the last week answering the same question in different ways: are they really wobbling, or are they just built to bounce back?
On June 26, it looked ugly. Washington fell 3-1 to the Orioles, which made it four straight losses after the historic three-game skid against the Phillies.
But by July 1, the tone had shifted again. The Nationals had steadied themselves with consecutive series wins over Baltimore and Boston, and this one came with a little extra edge after Tuesday’s benches-clearing incident sparked by Cade Cavalli and Willson Contreras.
That kind of response matters, because the Nationals have shown they can absorb a punch and keep moving. Against the Red Sox, they did it with real force.
James Wood was the biggest reason why.
For more than a week, the 23-year-old was stuck in a rough stretch, and it was the sort that lingers in the background until he buries it. From June 19-28, he hit just 5-for-41 with 19 strikeouts to five walks, no home runs and only three extra-base hits. Then Boston showed up, and Wood flipped the script in a hurry.
Over the series, he went 6-for-13 with two homers, three extra-base hits, six RBIs and four strikeouts to two walks. When Wood is driving the ball like that, Washington’s offense changes shape fast.
The other encouraging sign for the Nationals was that the bullpen actually held up across the series. Washington allowed just two earned runs in all three games, with rookie Riley Cornelio responsible for both in the finale, his fourth major league appearance.
Here’s how the relief work broke down: Brad Lord went 2.1 innings with no earned runs, one strikeout and two walks; Zak Kent worked 2.0 scoreless innings with one strikeout and one walk; Riley Cornelio gave up two earned runs in one inning with two strikeouts and one walk; Orlando Ribalta tossed one scoreless inning; and Carson Palmquist added one scoreless inning with one strikeout.
Lord started the finale, then Andrew Alvarez followed with 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Even so, Lord is being counted as a bullpen arm here, since he’s been used mostly in relief this season.
The Nationals are not going to suddenly turn into an elite bullpen team, but this series showed they can put together a clean stretch. Doing that more often is the difference between a nice run and a team that actually keeps climbing toward a playoff spot.
And then there was Cavalli.
On Tuesday, the 27-year-old right-hander looked every bit like a top-of-the-rotation starter for a contender. He struck out a career-high 13, didn’t issue a walk, and blanked Boston over seven innings while allowing just one hit.
That outing finished off a strong June for Cavalli, who posted a 3.82 ERA in six starts over 30 2/3 innings. He piled up 34 strikeouts against eight walks, and at this point, he looks fully settled into the role Washington wants from him at the front of the rotation.
In Other News...
Cade Cavalli Apologizes As Nationals Face An Ugly New Controversy
Cade Cavalli spent Sunday trying to put out a fire that had nothing to do with his pitching line, apologizing for a phrase he used during a game against the Red Sox that carried historically racist connotations. The Nationals right-hander said he did not intend to cause harm and said he would not use the phrase again, while club officials decided not to discipline him after concluding there was no intent to demean.
The aftermath still hung over the series, with Boston interim manager Chad Tracy describing the moment as immediately alarming and suggesting Major League Baseball should review it further given the camera angles available. Willson Contreras also addressed the incident, though he declined to elaborate publicly, leaving Washington to move on while the broader controversy remained very much unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals System Shakeup Raises New Questions About Health And Depth
The latest round of minor league action for the Nationals system came with the usual mix of box scores and lineup shuffling, but the movement between stops was just as notable as the results on the field. Rochester, Harrisburg, Wilmington, Fredericksburg, the FCL Nationals and DSL Nationals all factored into a busy stretch that also included rehab work, reassigned arms and a few fresh looks across the organization.
For a farm system that is often asked to absorb health-related detours and keep innings moving, the roster churn is the bigger storyline right now. Alex Youngs rehab path has taken him from Harrisburg to Rochester after he worked the opener, while Connor Van Scoyoc, Riley Maddox and others have shifted levels as the club tries to balance development with immediate coverage. Branden Boissieres rehab assignment moving to Fredericksburg adds another layer to that picture, and Harrisburgs mix has been altered again with Jhancarlos Lara landing on the Developmental List. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals May Already Be Leaning One Way On CJ Abrams
CJ Abrams has become one of the Nationals more important long-term questions, and for now the answer may be patience. He has been producing at a high level this season, giving Washington a legitimate centerpiece to build around while the front office sorts through what comes next.
Bob Nightengale recently suggested the Nationals are unlikely to trade Abrams this season, pointing to the public relations hit such a move could bring and the fact that the shortstop remains under club control through 2028. That gives Washington time to weigh a trade or a contract extension later on, with the decision potentially pushed toward the 2028 deadline or offseason. [Read more 🡒]