The 2026 Nationals, it should be absolutely clear by now, will always seek a platoon advantage whenever possible. That strategy hasn’t always served them well when they’re trying to play matchups with their subpar bullpen. But it sure has paid off more often than not when they sub out their own hitters to match up with opposing relievers.

Never was that more on display than during tonight’s 8-2 win over the Reds, in which Blake Butera was burned by a platoon-based pitching change in the top of the sixth only to make up for it with a perfectly timed pinch-hit move in the bottom of that inning.

Leading 2-0 through five thanks to Abimelec Ortiz’s third-inning single off Chase Burns and a string of zeros delivered by Andrew Alvarez, the Nats saw the lead vanish in the sixth when Butera pulled Alvarez in favor of Max Kranick and watched as the right-hander served up the game-tying homer to Eugenio Suárez.

No problem, because the Nationals flipped the script in the bottom of the inning, with Butera having Andrés Chaparro pinch-hit for José Tena after Reds manager Terry Francona replaced Burns with left-hander Sam Moll. Chaparro immediately delivered a two-run double down the left-field line to highlight a four-run rally that gave his team the lead right back. Chaparro would add an RBI single in the eighth to pad the lead, completing a 2-for-2, three-RBI night off the bench.

“It’s definitely a challenge for everybody on the bench, not knowing when you’re going to be needed, when you’re going to come,” Chaparro said, via interpreter Mauricio Ortiz. “But it’s really important, the work we put in, but also the work the coaches do for us getting us prepared every day, telling us the scenarios, we might we face in that inning.”

The bullpen then duplicated its efforts from Friday night’s 5-3 win, with newcomer Yovanny Cruz again tossing a scoreless seventh before Clayton Beeter (who got the save in the series opener) pitched the eighth. Orlando Ribalta was warming to close it out, but Butera instead went to Tom Cosgrove after his team extended the lead to six runs. The Nationals (58-61) have now won two in a row and will go for the sweep Sunday afternoon.

“We couldn’t wait to get home,” Butera said. “Going on the road for eight in a row against two really good teams, back-to-back, four-game series, is not easy. And when it’s not going your way, you’re looking for some support. You’re looking for some positivity. And when you come back home … it just provides that spark we needed.”

HITTING HIGHLIGHT: If you thought the Nationals were in for a long night against Burns, you were sorely mistaken. Though the Reds ace got off to a strong start, the Nats did make him work early, and that may have paid off later. By the time they got to the bottom of the sixth, they were seeing Burns for the third time, with his pitch count approaching the 80s (and eventually the 90s).

“It felt like a grind,” Butera said. “I thought our at-bats were really good, because we just stayed really convicted in our plans and didn’t fall victim to what he was trying to do, getting us to chase. … I thought we just stayed really, really stubborn in our approach with getting a good pitch to hit.”

Three straight hits by Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile and Keibert Ruiz set the tone for the sixth, and when Nasim Nuñez drew a one-out walk to load the bases, Francona felt he had no choice but to pull his starter at 96 pitches. The Hall-of-Fame manager signaled for Moll, but that played directly into Butera’s hands. Butera sent up Chaparro to pinch-hit for Tena and watched as the right-handed slugger drilled a two-run double down the left-field line. Jacob Young then lined an RBI single to center, also taking advantage of the platoon matchup, to complete a four-run rally that gave the Nationals a comfortable lead.

“He continues to give us good at-bats,” Butera said of Chaparro. “Having an option like him off the bench when they bring a lefty in has been awesome for me, and for us, of course. Really proud of him.”

PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: This was the best Alvarez has looked in a while. The left-hander can frustrate coaches and fans alike when he nibbles around the zone, gives up free passes and piles up his pitch count. But tonight he attacked Cincinnati’s hitters and was rewarded for it, carrying a shutout into the sixth inning on a mere 66 pitches.

“Definitely execution, and just preparation, too,” Alvarez said of the difference in his aggressive approach tonight. “I’ve been doing my studying, but I’ve been adding more to it and trying to add more video and just gaining confidence through that.”

He returned to the mound for the seventh and retired Elly De La Cruz before allowing a slow roller of a single to Sal Stewart. With the Nats leading 2-0, there was no reason to believe Alvarez was fading. But with back-to-back right-handed hitters due up, Butera walked to the mound and signaled for Kranick as the crowd murmured.

“He was up into the mid-to-upper 70s, pitch-count-wise,” the manager said. “That’s kind of where we’ve been keeping him, and kind of where he starts to tail off a little bit. Didn’t want to run him too far, and that was a pretty good right-handed pocket there with some pretty good hitters. Thought that was the right time to go to the bullpen.”

Alvarez got a well-deserved ovation as he returned to the dugout, and though he ultimately was charged with a run after Suarez homered off Kranick, he could certainly still hold his head high after a fantastic start.

NOTABLE: DJ Herz made a rehab start for Single-A Fredericksburg tonight, allowing two hits and a walk but striking out three over his one inning of work. The left-hander, still recovering from his 2025 Tommy John surgery, had appeared close to returning from the IL earlier this summer but was shut down with a flexor muscle strain after his June 16 rehab start for Fredericksburg.

TRANSACTION: The Nationals optioned left-hander Carson Palmquist to Triple-A Rochester following tonight’s game. They’ll make a corresponding move Sunday morning, likely seeking another right-hander for the bullpen.

UP NEXT: It’s a quick turnaround to Sunday’s 12:15 p.m. series finale (which is a Peacock/NBCSN exclusive broadcast). The Nats will be throwing a bullpen game, choosing not to fill Zack Littell’s vacant rotation spot until later in the homestand. Brad Lord will get the start, with Trevor Williams an option to follow him out of the bullpen. Right-hander Brady Singer starts for Cincinnati. TV: Peacock/NBCSN RADIO: 106.7 FM

What happens when your trusty reporter takes a night off? The Nationals win for only the second time in their last 10 games! I’m sorry to announce, then, that I’m back to work today after missing Friday night’s 5-3 win over the Reds. Feel free to blame me if they return to their losing ways.

The Nats got strong pitching in Game 1 of this series, beginning with Cade Cavalli (three runs in six innings) but especially with the three relievers (Yovanny Cruz, Orlando Ribalta, Clayton Beeter) who each posted a zero to close out the win with no drama. Can they duplicate that kind of effort tonight? It’s up to Andrew Alvarez to set the tone with a solid start before Blake Butera turns to his relief corps.

Offense may be at a premium, because the Nationals are facing one of the NL’s toughest right-handers in Chase Burns, who enters this game with a 13-1 record, 2.35 ERA, 1.096 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings. He faced the Nats in Cincinnati three months ago and tossed six scoreless innings of two-hit ball, showing off a 100 mph fastball.

CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Chance of storms, 87 degrees, wind 10 mph out to center

REDS
SS Elly De La Cruz
1B Sal Stewart
CF Dane Myers
DH Eugenio Suarez
LF JJ Bleday
2B Matt McLain
C Jose Trevino
RF Noelvi Marte
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes

RHP Chase Burns

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
1B Abimelec Ortiz
RF Dylan Crews
LF Daylen Lile
C Keibert Ruiz
3B Jorbit Vivas
2B Nasim Nuñez
DH José Tena
CF Jacob Young

LHP Andrew Alvarez

(06:00) Cade Cavalli struck out out eight Reds and pitched into the 7th inning.  Cavalli is up to 141 strikeouts for the season and the question will be how many starts does he get down the stretch. He did struggle a bit though as he gave up seven hits and three of them were solo Cincinnati homers.

(12:00) Yovanny Cruz rescued Cavalli in the top of the 7th to keep the two run lead intact.  Cruz, who came over as part of the Luis Garcia Jr. trade, has shown high velocity and a lot to like thus far.

(17:00) All of the offense came off of a pair of homers hit by Daylen Lile & Harry Ford. Lile has now moved back ahead of Jacob Young in the OPS department (.717 vs. .706).

(21:00) Tim points out an aspect to the Curtis Mead trade that has been bothering him during this pivotal stretch.

(25:00) Andrew Alvarez will take the mound on Saturday night vs. Chase Burns as Washington looks to lock up the weekend series. 

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The last time they played on South Capitol Street, the Nationals owned a winning record and were one game out of a wild-card berth. James Wood and Luis García Jr. were in the lineup. Zack Littell was on the mound. Yeah, a few things have changed since then, and not for the better.

The team that returns home tonight to open a weekend series against the Reds does not resemble the one that left town eight days ago. But this is an opportunity to change the script back into something positive, especially for the young players who are going to be a part of the plan here beyond this season.

Like Cade Cavalli, who tonight makes his league-leading 25th start, seeking his ninth win and to get his ERA below 3.50. You want to talk about positive developments this season, he’s high on the list. One of the most important things Cavalli has done of late is display the kind of consistency you expect from a front-line, big-league starter. In each of his last five starts, he’s gone six innings and allowed two or fewer runs.

At the plate, the Nats will try to find more consistency, especially with runners in scoring position after an abysmal road trip from a situational hitting standpoint. CJ Abrams is again in the leadoff spot, where he figures to become a regular when facing a right-hander until James Wood returns from his oblique strain. Abimelec Ortiz also looks to be the new No. 2 hitter against righties, and he’s off to a solid start, going 3-for-12 with a double and a homer.

FYI: After a long and very eventful trip, I’m taking tonight off. So please keep the conversation going among yourselves, and I’ll be back Saturday for game two of the series.

CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV, FOX 5 (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Chance of storms, 82 degrees, wind 8 mph out to center

REDS
SS Elly De La Cruz
1B Sal Stewart
LF JJ Bleday
C Tyler Stephenson
DH Eugenio Suarez
CF Hector Rodriguez
RF Noelvi Marte
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes
2B Matt McLain

RHP Chase Petty

NATIONALS
DH CJ Abrams
1B Abimelec Ortiz
3B Brady House
LF Daylen Lile
RF Dylan Crews
C Harry Ford
SS Nasim Nuñez
2B José Tena
CF Jacob Young

RHP Cade Cavalli

(03:00) Miles Mikolas reached ten years of MLB service time with the start on Thursday, but allowed twelve hits during the outing. Mikolas is in jeopardy of being DFA'd in the near future just like Zack Littell was on Wednesday. Mikolas' numbers are quite grisly as his ERA sits at 5.89 in 24 appearances.

(07:00) Connelly Early has forearm tightness after facing hitters this week in West Palm Beach.

(15:00) Quick updates on Josiah Gray & DJ Herz.

(16:30) Trevor Williams tossed a scoreless bottom of the 8th and Al poses to Mark the question of whether or not Williams rejoins the rotation.

(21:00) Andrew Pinckney homered for the first time since getting called up this week from AAA.  Pinckney showed bouts of power in Rochester as he homered 20 times last season.

(25:00) Jacob Young's OPS (.707) is slightly ahead of Daylen Lile (.705).

(29:00) Washington was one game over .500 when they began this road trip on Thursday July 30th in Atlanta and they return from Philadelphia one week later at five games under .500. 

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PHILADELPHIA – The good vibes of Wednesday night’s wild win at Citizens Bank Park were washed away tonight for a Nationals club that faced a daunting matchup against the Phillies, fell into an early hole and never fully got back into it to drop the finale of a painful, 1-7 road trip to Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Miles Mikolas, the surprise offensive hero of the previous night’s 11-inning triumph, labored as the Nats’ starting pitcher tonight, charged with six runs on 12 hits in five innings. The veteran right-hander was done in not by anything that cleared the fence but by a whole lot of balls that ricocheted off the fence, with the Phillies piling up seven doubles.

“It just seemed like they were on everything tonight,” manager Blake Butera said. “I don’t think he had his best stuff today, and they sure seemed to capitalize on every mistake he made.”

The Nationals needed much better pitching on a night they faced potential Cy Young Award winner Cristopher Sánchez. They actually fared relatively well against the tough left-hander, putting nine runners on base and driving up his pitch count to 98 to knock him out after five innings. Andrew Pinckney enjoyed a moment in the spotlight, homering off Sánchez for his first MLB hit.

“I thought our at-bats were really good,” Butera said. “I thought our biggest chance was in the fifth (with two on and one out), when we just couldn’t get that big knock. But I thought our at-bats as a whole against an arm like that were really good. And to knock him out, have him on the ropes in the fifth inning, I think was a testament to how good our at-bats were and how many pitches our guys saw.”

But they couldn’t fully take down Sánchez or the Philly bullpen, nor could they overcome the hole Mikolas dug for them. And so they ended this season-changing road trip, one that began with hopes of a pennant race, with yet another loss and further reason to acknowledge the focus should now shift to the future.

“Definitely a learning moment for a lot of us,” Butera said. “Tough stretch, no doubt. I think there were a lot of emotions throughout these last eight games.”

HITTING HIGHLIGHT: Pinckney got a chance to get his feet wet and make his MLB debut in the 10th inning of Wednesday night’s game, pinch-running for Abimelec Ortiz and scoring the go-ahead run. Tonight he got the chance to actually play, starting in left field and batting sixth. And he certainly made the most of the opportunity.

Pinckney worked himself into a 3-1 count in the top of the fourth and then drove a fastball from Sánchez to right-center, becoming the seventh player in club history to homer for his first career hit. (The others: Justin Maxwell, Tommy Milone, Corey Brown, Juan Soto, Carter Kieboom and Joey Meneses.)

“When I hit it, I thought it might have a shot, but I was just focused on getting on second, and then it went out,” said Pinckney, who pointed to his family in the stands and the Nats bullpen as he rounded the bases with a wide smile on his face. “I’m just glad my parents where there, and my sister and everybody was there to see it. It was just really fun.”

The rookie left fielder also made a nice defensive play, tracking down Trea Turner’s double in the corner and starting a 7-6-2 relay to nail Justin Crawford at the plate.

PITCHING LOWLIGHT: As much fun as the 11th inning was Wednesday night, Mikolas returned to reality tonight as he returned to his normal role on the mound. On the day he celebrated 10 years of MLB service time, the 37-year-old right-hander probably knows he’s on borrowed time at this point, especially after the organization designated fellow veteran Zack Littell for assignment Wednesday.

Mikolas proceeded to endure through the kind of start that has been far too typical this season. The Phillies were all over him from the start, scoring two runs in the first, another in the second and three more in the third. By that point, they had already amassed seven doubles, most ever allowed by a Nationals pitcher in one game.

He stuck it out for two more innings, getting his pitch count up to 93. When the bottom of the fifth ended, he walked back to the dugout with head down. He had surrendered 12 hits, a number exceeded only by Patrick Corbin (twice) in club history. His ERA is now 5.89. What the Nats do from here remains to be seen.

“It’s been super fun,” Mikolas said. “This is one of the most fun group of guys that I’ve been around in my playing career. The coaching staff caring about their players and keeping everybody up. And just the support and the camaraderie in the clubhouse has been incredible.”

NOTABLE: Connelly Early probably won’t be ready to join the Nationals rotation as soon as hoped. The left-hander experienced forearm tightness while facing live hitters in West Palm Beach on Tuesday, Butera revealed today. Early, acquired from the Red Sox for Curtis Mead while already on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation, was supposed to begin a rehab assignment with one of the Nats’ minor-league affiliates this weekend and potentially join the active roster within the next two weeks. Now his rehab is going to be put on pause in what Butera termed an “ultra cautious move” by the club. “From what I’ve been told, it’s not super concerning,” he said.

UP NEXT: The road trip is finally over, but the Nats’ 17-games-in-17-days stretch continues with a weekend series against the Reds. Cade Cavalli will start Friday’s 6:45 p.m. opener against a to-be-named Cincinnati pitcher. The Nationals announced Andrew Alvarez as Saturday’s starter but have left Sunday’s starter TBA for now. TV: Nationals TV/FOX 5 RADIO: 106.7 FM

PHILADELPHIA – The Nationals snapped their seven-game losing streak Wednesday night, and they did it in particularly entertaining fashion, which made for a boisterous clubhouse at the end of a long night. And that actually gives them a shot at escaping Philly with a four-game series split if they can win tonight’s finale.

That will be easier said than done, because on paper this looks like a lopsided matchup. Cy Young Award candidate Cristopher Sánchez starts for the Phillies, and that will be no picnic for a depleted Nats lineup. They did actually hand Sánchez one of his worst starts of the summer in June, scoring five runs over five innings, four of those coming in the bottom of the first. Curtis Mead homered in that game, though obviously he’s not around anymore. But Dylan Crews also had three hits, and Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and Nasim Nuñez each had an RBI single that night.

Interesting quirk to tonight’s lineup: Both catchers are starting for the first time this season, with Keibert Ruiz behind the plate and Harry Ford serving as DH. Andrew Pinckney also makes his real MLB debut as part of the lineup after pinch-running Wednesday night.

Miles Mikolas, meanwhile, hopes to carry over the good vibes from his surprise pinch-hit appearance Wednesday night and perform well on the mound as he celebrates 10 years of MLB service time today. The 37-year-old also faced the Phillies in that earlier series, allowing two runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings of bulk relief. He’ll get the start tonight, and given how much he had to use the bullpen Wednesday, Blake Butera may have to push Mikolas more than preferred.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 6:05 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Slight chance of storms, 91 degrees, wind 11 mph out to center

NATIONALS
RF Dylan Crews
1B Andrés Chaparro
3B Brady House
SS CJ Abrams
DH Harry Ford
LF Andrew Pinckney
CF Jacob Young
2B Nasim Nuñez
C Keibert Ruiz

RHP Miles Mikolas

PHILLIES
DH Kyle Schwarber
SS Trea Turner
RF Bryce Harper
2B Luis Arraez
1B Alec Bohm
LF Brandon Marsh
C JT Realmuto
3B Bryson Stott
CF Justin Crawford

LHP Cristopher Sánchez

(07:00) CJ Abrams 2-run triple began the rally in 11th, which led to Mikolas pinch-hitting opportunity. Abrams occupied the leadoff spot on Wednesday as James Wood was recently placed on the IL.

(12:00) Brady House homered off a lefty despite usually being far more productive against a right-hander.

(17:00) Jake Irvin pitched into the 6th and allowed only a pair of runs in his 2nd start back from the IL.

(18:00) Two pitchers who were acquired recently in trades took the mound on Wednesday in Philly. Will Dion came over for Foster Griffin and Yovanny Cruz was part of the package from the Yankees for Luis Garcia Jr.

(22:00) Brad Lord is back from the IL and only needed ten pitches to notch the final three outs in the bottom of the 11th.

(26:00) Zack Littell was Designated For Assignment in order to make roster space for Lord.  This is a clear suggestion of what the organizational approach will be in the final two months of the season. The veteran struggled in Washington as he had a 4.97 ERA in 23 appearances.

(34:00) Joey Wiemer, who had been in Rochester the past few months, was waived by the organization. Wiemer was struggling in AAA as his OPS was only .534. Wiemer had a great start of the season as he homered twice in Wrigley Field in late March. 

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PHILADELPHIA – The day began with the decision to cut ties with one of the team’s under-performing veteran starters and the acknowledgment that the focus around here is about to shift from winning now to winning in the future.

And then the night ended with the Nationals snapping their seven-game losing streak thanks to an 11th-inning rally featuring the offensive exploits of their other under-performing veteran starter, prompting one of the loudest clubhouse celebrations of the season.

“Today brought us closer, I think,” CJ Abrams said after a you-had-to-see-it-to-believe-it, 10-4 victory over the Phillies. “Those good vibes, we’re going to bring it in tomorrow. And now we go.”

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PHILADELPHIA – How did the Nationals finally snap their seven-game losing streak? With a six-run rally in extra innings keyed by their best remaining hitter and … their 37-year-old pitcher?!

This 10-4, 11-inning win was as unconventional as they get, but the Nats will happily take it after a miserable week of trades, injuries and loss after loss after loss.

CJ Abrams delivered the long-awaited clutch hit, driving a triple off the top of the center-field wall in the top of the 11th, with Phillies center fielder Derek Hill injuring himself trying to make a leaping catch. Then, with their bench out of position players and the DH having been forced to play the field, the Nats sent Miles Mikolas to the plate for his first at-bat since 2021. The veteran right-hander proceeded to put down a perfect safety squeeze, with Abrams beating the tag at the plate and Mikolas busting it down the line to reach himself.

Andrés Chaparro added a two-run double to complete the six-run rally and provide plenty of cushion for Brad Lord, who closed the win out in his first appearance back from the 15-day IL.

Both teams managed to score their automatic runner in the 10th inning without producing a hit. The Nationals showed patience against erratic lefty Jose Alvarado, who hit Daylen Lile with a pitch and then walked both Chaparro and Nasim Nuñez, the latter on four pitches to force in the go-ahead run. The Phillies, though, tied the game again in the bottom of the inning when Hill (the automatic runner) stole third off Clayton Beeter, putting himself in position to score on Trea Turner’s sacrifice lineout to right, which required a diving catch by Dylan Crews.

For the first time on this road trip, the Nationals delivered with runners in scoring position in several key spots earlier in the game. Keibert Ruiz came through with a two-out RBI single in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead, and Abrams (batting leadoff for the first time this season) also produced a two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh for a 3-2 lead. That clutch hit came a few minutes after Brady House drove an opposite-field, pinch-hit homer to right to tie the game.

Jake Irvin was solid in his second start off the IL, allowing a solo homer to Luis Arraez and a sacrifice fly to Justin Crawford in the bottom of the second but otherwise keeping the Phillies off the board during his 5 1/3 innings on the mound.

The new-look Nats bullpen, though, complicated matters in the seventh. Yovanny Cruz, one of the four pitchers acquired from the Yankees for Luis García Jr., consistently topped 100 mph with his fastball but retired only one of the four batters he faced, surrendering an RBI single to Bryson Stott to earn his first blown save. Tom Cosgrove and Orlando Ribalta did, however, combine to get this game through the ninth still tied at 3 to set up extra-inning drama.

HITTING HIGHLIGHT: The Nationals have gone out of their way to use House almost exclusively against left-handers. So when the Phillies brought in newly acquired southpaw Brooks Raley in the top of the seventh, Blake Butera didn’t hesitate to send House up to pinch-hit for Jorbit Vivas. And House immediately struck, driving Raley’s 0-1 sweeper the other way for the first-pinch-hit homer of his career, this one tying the game to boot. At some point, perhaps they’ll start giving House more opportunities to face right-handers. But until then, he’ll just have to keep making the most of his plate appearances against lefties.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: On paper, this looked like a potentially difficult matchup for Irvin, who gave up a lot of loud contact last week in Atlanta in his first start off the IL. And there were some early harrowing moments for the right-hander, who let four batters reach in the bottom of the second, two of them scoring. But he quickly found his groove again and cruised after that. Irvin wound up retiring the last 12 batters he faced, rarely getting hit hard during that stretch. He looked surprised when Butera came out of the dugout asking for the ball with one out in the sixth, but there were two lefties due up and the Nats are still being careful with Irvin’s workload as he makes his way back from a shoulder injury. He was pulled tonight at 83 pitches.

NOTABLE: Will Dion made his Nationals debut, replacing Irvin in the bottom of the sixth, and was asked to retire two of the toughest left-handed hitters in baseball. He proceeded to walk Bryce Harper on five pitches before getting Arraez to hit a sharp grounder to first, with Abimelec Ortiz making a nice play to start an inning-ending, 3-6-1 double play.

UP NEXT: This long road trip finally comes to an end Thursday with an earlier-than-usual, 6:05 p.m. first pitch scheduled. Miles Mikolas makes the start in what would’ve been Foster Griffin’s spot in the rotation. All-Star lefty Cristopher Sánchez gets the ball for the Phillies. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM

PHILADELPHIA – The Nationals designated Zack Littell for assignment today, the first of perhaps several decisions they could make in the coming days as the club starts prioritizing the future over the present.

With Brad Lord ready to come off the 15-day IL, the Nats decided not to drop another reliever but instead cut ties with Littell, the veteran starter who signed during spring training for a guaranteed $7 million but never lived up to his track record as a quality innings-eater.

The 30-year-old right-hander went 7-8 with a 4.97 ERA and 1.335 WHIP in 23 games (14 of them starts, the other nine bulk relief appearances following an opener). He led the league in home runs allowed for much of the season but is currently third on that list with 25 surrendered in 112 1/3 innings, trailing the Phillies’ Aaron Nola (28) and now-former teammate Miles Mikolas (26).

That subpar performance, combined with the Nationals’ desire to start seeing some younger alternatives after the passage of Monday’s trade deadline, prompted today’s decision.

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PHILADELPHIA – What do you do after losing seven games in a row? You take the field and try to make sure the streak doesn’t reach eight. There’s not much else the Nationals can do at this point except try to salvage this series and the road trip in general and remember what it’s like to win a game again.

It’s going to have to involve a resurgence of offense. Would you believe this lineup has scored a grand total of 16 runs during these last seven games? The team is batting a collective .182 with a .599 OPS. Obviously, that’s not going to cut it unless you have an elite pitching staff. Which we know this team does not.

Andrew Painter, the Phillies’ once-top-pitching prospect, gets the start tonight. The right-hander has endured through a miserable season that included a demotion to Triple-A, but you may remember he held the Nats to one run in 5 1/3 innings in his MLB debut here way back on March 31.

With the right-hander on the mound, Blake Butera had to decide which left-handed hitter to put in the leadoff spot with James Wood now injured. His choice: CJ Abrams, who has done a brilliant job batting cleanup all season but now moves back into the No. 1 position where he spent most of his career prior to 2026.

Jake Irvin makes the start for the Nationals, coming off his first outing back from the IL, in which he was charged with five runs in five-plus innings but retired the first 10 Braves batters he faced before things began to unravel. Irvin was held to only 61 pitches in that game; he should be good to throw more tonight as the team ramps him back up.

We also got some pregame news: The Nats designated Zack Littell for assignment and activated Brad Lord off the 15-day IL. Check back shortly for a full article on that move and what it signals about the team’s overall plan the rest of the season.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 6:40 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Chance of storms, 83 degrees, wind 6 mph out to center

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
1B Abimelec Ortiz
RF Dylan Crews
LF Daylen Lile
C Keibert Ruiz
DH José Tena
2B Nasim Nuñez
3B Jorbit Vivas
CF Jacob Young

RHP Jake Irvin

PHILLIES
DH Kyle Schwarber
SS Trea Turner
RF Bryce Harper
2B Luis Arraez
1B Alec Bohm
LF Brandon Marsh
C J.T. Realmuto
3B Bryson Stott
CF Justin Crawford

RHP Andrew Painter

UPDATE: Tonight’s first pitch has been delayed to 7:05 p.m. due to rain that only recently cleared out of the area.

(06:30) Prior to the game James Wood was placed on the 10-Day IL due to a left oblique strain.  Wood exited Monday's game shortly after he injured his side on a swing in the top of the 6th.

(11:00) The offense was 0 for 11 w/ runners in scoring position in the loss and collectively on this road trip they are a stunningly bad 3 for 45.

(14:00) Any chance that CJ Abrams becomes the leadoff hitter while Wood is on the IL?  Dylan Crews was first in the order in Tuesday night's defeat.

(17:00) Andrew Pinckney had a hectic Tuesday as he spent the morning riding the bus to Scranton with his Rochester teammates and ended it as a member of the Washington Nationals inside the visitor's clubhouse in Philadelphia. Pinckney was available off the bench after arriving in the middle of the 2nd inning and he occupied the roster spot vacated by Wood.

(21:00) Carson Palmquist's brief appearance as the Opener did not go well as he allowed one run after just facing four batters.  Palmquist has seen more action in that role, but it is not going well.

(23:00) Keep or cut Zack Littell and/or Miles Mikolas for the final two months of the season?

(26:00) Putting in perspective how many obstacles are facing the organization right now.

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PHILADELPHIA – What happens when the highest-scoring lineup in baseball trades away its best right-handed hitter, then the NL’s leader in slugging percentage, then loses one of the best offensive players in the sport to injury?

Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park is what happens.

The Nationals were already reeling before taking the field for the second of four games against the Phillies. Mired in their longest losing streak of the season, they had seen their previously unflappable lineup go ice cold over the weekend in Atlanta. Of course the trades of Curtis Mead and Luis García Jr. played a role in that, but they still had the dynamic duo of James Wood and CJ Abrams, plus several other hitters who have made significant strides this year.

But once they had to remove Wood from that lineup, a mild left oblique strain having landed the All-Star right fielder on the 10-day IL for the first time in his career, they knew just how daunting this task was about to become. Even if they didn’t want to have to publicly admit it.

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PHILADELPHIA – Already reeling from a long losing streak and the departures of three key players prior to the trade deadline, the Nationals took the field tonight without James Wood for the first time and found out just how tough it’s going to be get their season back on track without him.

With Wood now on the 10-day IL with a mild oblique strain, and with Luis García Jr. and Curtis Mead now playing for the Yankees and Red Sox, respectively, the Nats were shut out by Jesús Luzardo and the Phillies, dropping their seventh straight game.

Blake Butera’s reconfigured lineup had Dylan Crews leading off, with Andrés Chaparro, Brady House and CJ Abrams directly behind him. It did not produce any offense against Luzardo, who went eight scoreless on 98 pitches before handing over the ninth to Caleb Kilian.

Butera hoped to keep this game close by using Carson Palmquist as opener. But after failing to retire three of the first four batters he faced, Palmquist got a quick hook in favor of Zack Littell, who escaped a first-inning jam but then allowed three runs during a bottom-of-the-third rally that featured RBI doubles from recently acquired professional hitter Luis Arraez and new teammate Brandon Marsh.

Littell found his groove after that and reached the seventh inning without surrendering another run. But even a four-run deficit felt insurmountable for this depleted Nationals lineup.

HITTING LOWLIGHT: Expectations were understandably low going into this game, but it’s not like the Nats didn’t give themselves some chances at the plate. They got a leadoff double from Abrams in the second, a one-out double from Harry Ford in the seventh and had men on second base with one out on two other occasions. They never so much as advanced one of those runners to third until the eighth inning, ultimately going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Which only extended a truly dreadful road trip for this offense. The Nationals are now 3-for-46 with runners in scoring position through six games in Atlanta and Philadelphia.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: He wasn’t lights-out by any stretch, but Littell did fairly well under the circumstances and kept the game from getting out of hand. He got a sooner-than-expected call from the bullpen and immediately induced an inning-ending double play. He retired 10 in a row at one point. And he wound up completing 6 2/3 innings on 93 pitches to at least give the bullpen a breather.

NOTABLE: Palmquist has now opened six games, producing a 10.97 ERA and 2.156 WHIP. In five true relief appearances, he has a 1.59 ERA and 1.059 WHIP.

UP NEXT: Wednesday’s 6:40 p.m. game will see Jake Irvin take the mound for the Nats against struggling Phillies rookie Andrew Painter. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM

PHILADELPHIA – The trade deadline has passed, and the rest of the 2026 season beckons. What that will look like for the Nationals remains to be seen, but given their current six-game losing streak and the trades of Luis García Jr. and Foster Griffin, it’s not hard to imagine the focus around here could shift to the future over the present.

Of more immediate concern, though, is the loss of James Wood, who was placed on the 10-day IL this afternoon with a mild left oblique strain. You can read the full story on that situation here. Taking Wood’s place on the active roster is Andrew Pinckney, who has had his contract purchased from Triple-A Rochester, though he’s not in the lineup tonight.

On the pitching side of things, the Nationals have another new arm in the bullpen: Will Dion. The left-hander, one of the four players acquired from the Guardians on Monday, has 12 games of big-league experience this season, striking out 25 while walking only three. He replaces Eddy Yean, who was optioned to Triple-A Rochester after the game.

And with the lefty-heavy Phillies lineup, Blake Butera will go with Carson Palmquist as the opener in front of Zack Littell. Palmquist opened against Philadelphia earlier this summer and tossed three scoreless innings before giving up a run in the fourth. We’ll see how far Butera is willing to push him tonight against a lineup that now includes Luis Arraez, whose acquisition has bumped a bunch of guys into new positions, including Bryce Harper, who is back in right field for the first time since 2022.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 6:40 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 85 degrees, wind 6 mph right to left

NATIONALS
RF Dylan Crews
1B Andrés Chaparro
3B Brady House
DH CJ Abrams
C Harry Ford
CF Jacob Young
LF Daylen Lile
SS Nasim Nuñez
2B Jorbit Vivas

LHP Carson Palmquist

PHILLIES
DH Kyle Schwarber
SS Trea Turner
RF Bryce Harper
2B Luis Arraez
1B Alec Bohm
C JT Realmuto
LF Brandon Marsh
3B Bryson Stott
CF Justin Crawford

LHP Jesús Luzardo

PHILADELPHIA – James Wood is going on the IL for the first time in his MLB career, but the Nationals are hopeful their All-Star’s time off the active roster will be minimal.

The Nats are placing Wood on the 10-day IL before tonight’s game against the Phillies with what manager Blake Butera described as a “subtle, mild” left oblique strain, an injury suffered on the final swing of his seventh-inning at-bat Monday night.

Outfielder Andrew Pinckney is currently on his way to Citizens Bank Park from nearby Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he was playing with Triple-A Rochester, and will be called up to make his MLB debut this evening.

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(06:00) The Nats made a pair of trades on Monday, but certainly of different magnitudes.  All - Star starting pitcher Foster Griffin was sent to Cleveland in exchange for four players and AAA outfielder Christian Franklin was dealt to the Orioles organization.  The Griffin trade on Monday afternoon cemented that the Nationals were ultimately "sellers" at the Trade Deadline.

(10:00) Did Washington and Griffin's extension talks get close at all before he was traded away?

(14:00) Analyzing the players coming over from the Guardians organization which were three pitchers and one outfielder. The Nationals overall acquired nine pitchers in their four recent trades before the deadline.

(22:30) The Nats led 3-0 entering the bottom of the 7th behind the left arm of Andrew Alvarez.  It went south that frame as Tom Cosgrove gave up to Grand Slam to Derek Hill.

(28:00) Abimelec Ortiz hit his first career homer right away as he was hitting 2nd in the order.  Ortiz was also called up from Rochester and started at 1B in place of Luis Garcia. Ortiz came over to the organization as part of the package from Texas from MacKenzie Gore.

(32:00) Daylen Lile put Washington ahead 3-0 with a 2-run shot in the top of the 2nd.

(33:00) James Wood exited the game early due to tightness in his side and he is getting a MRI on Tuesday.

(35:00) PJ Poulin was transferred to the 60-Day IL due to a left flexor strain.

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PHILADELPHIA – There was no ulterior motive to the first ejection of Blake Butera’s MLB managing career. He wasn’t trying to fire up his players. He wasn’t stewing over something from earlier in the game that carried over into his seventh-inning argument with plate umpire Manny Gonzalez.

“It wasn’t like any … it was just heat of the moment,” he insisted afterward. “I just wanted to try to do what’s best for our team.”

Maybe Butera really was just upset about the way Gonzalez was telling the Nationals dugout to calm down after an unpopular call at third base that didn’t go their way. He clearly let Gonzalez know he didn’t appreciate that tactic.

“I think the dugout just didn’t agree with the call,” he said. “I had my back to it, and when I turned around ... those guys want to win. They were fired up. I just wanted to get in the middle of that and stop anything.”

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PHILADELPHIA – An emotional day after an emotional week ended in an agonizing (if all-too-familiar) manner for the Nationals: A pair of relievers giving up game-changing home runs to the Phillies. Specifically, Derek Hill and Bryce Harper.

Hill, the part-time outfielder who already played a major role in one of the Phillies’ three straight comebacks at Nationals Park earlier this summer, launched a grand slam off Tom Cosgrove in the bottom of the seventh tonight, turning a 3-0 Nats lead into a 4-3 deficit. Harper, the former D.C. star-turned-opposing heel, then added a two-run homer off Clayton Beeter in the eighth to extend the lead.

Already demoralized from this afternoon’s trade of All-Star left-hander Foster Griffin to the Guardians – not to mention the prior trades of Luis García Jr. and Curtis Mead – the Nationals nevertheless stormed out of the gates to take an early lead the same way they’ve done so often this year: With power. New first baseman Abimelec Ortiz crushed an Aaron Nola curveball for his first career home run in the top of the first. One inning later, Daylen Lile also took Nola deep, this one a two-run shot to give the Nats a 3-0 lead.

Andrew Alvarez, summoned from Triple-A Rochester for a spot start one week after he had been demoted, then turned in perhaps the best outing of his brief career. The rookie left-hander stared down the Phillies’ star-studded lineup and carried a shutout in to the seventh.

Adding to the drama: Blake Butera was ejected for the first time as a big-league manager after arguing a potential obstruction call while Nasim Nuñez was trying to escape a rundown in the top of the seventh. Bench coach Michael Johns found himself managing the final three innings of a tight game, choosing when to pull Alvarez after a hit-by-pitch and walk in the bottom of the seventh.

That proved to be the critical juncture of the game. Cosgrove entered from the bullpen to replace Alvarez and walked Edmundo Sosa on five pitches, loading the bases. And when he grooved an 0-1 sweeper to Hill, the lefty reliever could only watch in horror as the game flipped on one swing. Harper then added his insurance homer one inning later off Beeter.

Johns also oversaw the eighth-inning removal of right fielder James Wood from the game. Wood, who didn’t look great running down the line in his previous at-bat, was replaced by Dylan Crews.

HITTING HIGHLIGHT: Thrust into the No. 2 spot in the lineup and asked to adequately replace the NL’s leader in slugging percentage this season, Ortiz calmly stepped to the plate in the top of the first tonight and did his best García impersonation. He blasted Nola’s 3-2 curveball to right for a quick 1-0 lead and circled the bases with a wide smile following his first career MLB home run. The 24-year-old first baseman is going to be given the chance to start against right-handers in García’s place. If he can continue to provide that kind of power, he’ll continue to get chances the rest of the season.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: The Nationals decided to call up Alvarez for this start in order to give others in the rotation an extra day of rest and (admittedly) to protect themselves against the possibility of a trade that would throw things out of whack. The left-hander proceeded to put forth his best performance of the season. Attacking hitters more than he did in some previous starts when he tended to nibble around the zone, Alvarez was remarkably efficient, completing his first six innings on only 68 pitches. He got the first out of the seventh and appeared to be cruising, but then he drilled Bryan De La Cruz with a pitch and followed that up with a walk of Bryson Stott, bringing an abrupt halt to his evening. It may have ended on a sour note, but it nevertheless was a highly encouraging start for Alvarez, whether he’s back for good or destined to return to Rochester.

NOTABLE: CJ Abrams was named NL Player of the Month for July earlier today. The All-Star shortstop hit .348 with five doubles, 10 homers, 23 RBI, 11 walks, six stolen bases, 17 runs scored, a .742 slugging percentage and 1.149 OPS in 23 games played for the month.

UP NEXT: Zack Littell (or an opener) will be on the mound for the start of Tuesday’s 6:40 p.m. game here at Citizens Bank Park. Left-hander Jesus Luzardo gets the ball for the Phillies. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM