(05:30) The Nationals continued their pattern of sloppy play by making a pair of crucial outs on the bases. One of them was particularly painful because it came with James Wood in the batter's box and a runner already in scoring position.

(11:10) Nasim Nuñez let a double play ball go through his legs that led to an early unearned Marlins run while filling in at shortstop.

(16:45) Miami pulled off a double steal against Gus Varland in the pivotal bottom of the 8th.  Drew Millas also used poor judgment in use of ABS Challenge that inning.

(21:30) An assessment of Cade Cavalli's outing where he allowed two runs in almost six innings of work.  Cavalli struck out four and his ERA dropped a tad to 4.02.

(23:00) Luis Garcia tripled and also had a RBI double in the middle of the game.  Could Garcia step up and be the 3rd best hitter in this lineup?

(37:15) Jim Callis, Senior writer for MLB Pipeline, gives Nats Chat an exclusive scouting report on potential options for the Nats at #11 at this Summer's MLB Draft.

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The Nationals lost two of three in Miami this weekend. They probably should’ve won two of three. Or perhaps even all three.

In Friday’s opener, the Nats led 3-2 after one inning and managed to make that score hold up the rest of the way. But on Saturday, they turned an early 4-0 lead into an eventual 8-7 loss. And during today’s finale, they found themselves tied 2-2 after five innings, only to give up three runs in the eighth for what became a 5-2 loss.

The common themes in the losses? A lack of execution in the late innings, especially by the bullpen and infield defense.

Saturday’s game saw Mitchell Parker get torched for five runs while recording only three outs. Today’s game saw Gus Varland charged with three runs while recording only one out.

So it all starts with poor relief pitching. Parker got burned by a pair of home runs, while Varland got burned by a pair of walks and a pair of singles. But there’s also a defensive element to all this, and that was especially on display this afternoon.

During the torturous bottom of the eighth, the Nationals twice allowed the Marlins to double-steal off them. Varland was front and center in both cases, making multiple unsuccessful pickoff attempts to make the task of running easier for Miami, seemingly getting preoccupied with those runners to the point he could no longer throw strikes and then delivering too slow to the plate to give catcher Drew Millas a reasonable chance to throw anybody out.

Not that Millas was without blame. He burned up both of the team’s ABS challenges, including on one pitch earlier in the eighth that was outside by nearly three inches. Which meant he couldn’t challenge when he really needed to a few minutes later on one of the double-steal attempts, in which a distracted plate umpire Chris Guccione called a pitch right over the plate a ball. It should’ve at least been a strikeout. Instead, both runners were safe, and there was still only one out on the board.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, Nationals hitters twice wanted to challenge egregiously bad strike calls by Guccione in the top of the ninth but couldn’t because of Millas’ two previous misses.

There were, of course, more conventional defense mistakes all weekend. During the sixth inning Saturday, CJ Abrams committed his seventh error of the season during one of the Marlins’ rallies. Blake Butera decided to give Abrams a pseudo-breather today and have him only DH, opening up the shortstop position for Nasim Nuñez. That should’ve been a net gain for the Nats. Instead, it backfired when Nuñez let Otto Lopez’s third-inning grounder scoot between his legs, turning what should’ve been an inning-ending double play into an unearned run.

Maybe the ball took a funny hop off the lip of the artificial turf and infield dirt, leaving Nuñez to look silly. Whether he was fully to blame or not, it still went in the books as the Nationals’ 39th error of the season. That’s not only the most in the majors, it’s 11 more than anybody else has committed.

No MLB franchise has been charged with 125 errors in a season since 2019. None has been charged with 150 errors in a season in the 21st century. The Nats are currently on pace for 154 this season.

Errors, of course, aren’t the only (or even the best) way to evaluate defense. But even the more-accepted modern metrics fail to paint a rosy picture. The Nationals rank 24th in the majors with -5 Defensive Runs Saved. And they’re tied for 24th in Fielding Run Value, also at -5.

Butera hasn’t shown much negative emotion so far through the first 25 percent of his first season as a big-league manager. But the few times he has appeared to be upset, it’s been because of poor defense.

After a weekend like this, you can understand why.

Good morning, and a very happy Mother’s Day to all! And what better way to spend it than by watching an extra-early series finale between the Nationals and Marlins?

Yes, the rubber game today at loanDepot Park starts at 12:15 p.m., and it’s a nationally televised game. This is the first game this season that won’t be available on Nationals TV. Your only options are either Peacock for streaming or NBCSN on cable/satellite (most major systems carry it). Matt Vasgersian will have the call, with Kevin Frandsen and Jeff Nelson as the analysts.

After a frustrating, 8-7 loss Saturday, the Nationals will attempt to get back on track and win another road series. And they’ll also hope Cade Cavalli gets back on track after a disappointing start last week against the Twins, in which he lasted only four innings and struck out only two. The right-hander faced Miami twice last season – back-to-back starts, as a matter of fact – and gave up two runs in five innings each time to earn the win.

Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara will oppose Cavalli, and though he’s not the same dominant pitcher he was a few years ago, he’s still a workhorse who leads the league in innings. The few Nats hitters who have faced him before haven’t enjoyed much success. Luis García Jr. is 2-for-21 with one RBI. CJ Abrams is 3-for-13 with one RBI. Keibert Ruiz (who is not in the lineup) has been a little better, going 6-for-20 with zero extra-base hits.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: loanDepot Park
Gametime: 12:15 p.m. EDT
TV: Peacock/NBCSN
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
RF James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
3B Brady House
DH CJ Abrams
LF Daylen Lile
CF Jacob Young
2B Jorbit Vivas
C Drew Millas
SS Nasim Nuñez

RHP Cade Cavalli

MARLINS
2B Xavier Edwards
1B Liam Hicks
SS Otto Lopez
LF Kyle Stowers
CF Jacob Marsee
DH Christopher Morel
RF Owen Caissie
3B Javier Sanoja
C Joe Mack

RHP Sandy Alcantara

(06:30) Washington staged a furious rally in the 9th that fell just short.  They trailed 8-4 entering the frame, but Joey Wiemer made a crucial base running mistake that removed the tying run from scoring position.

(14:00) Richard Lovelady was the surprise choice as the Opener and he delivered with two scoreless frames.  PJ Poulin had to come in for the final out for Friday night's win and that possibly led to Lovelady getting the ball on Saturday.

(16:00) Zack Littell & CJ Abrams each committed an error on Saturday afternoon.  Abrams' throwing error in the bottom of the 6th led to an unavoidable Marlins run to make it 4-3.

(19:45) Mitchell Parker had a nightmare relief appearance as he allowed five runs and his ERA ballooned to 5.82 afterwards.  

(27:30) The Nats & Marlins square off earlier than usual on Sunday afternoon at 12:15PM on Peacock.  Cade Cavalli will take the mound with a current ERA of 4.15.

(30:40) Tim (Atlanta native) gives his thoughts on the passing of Hall of Fame Manager Bobby Cox at age 84. 

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For the sixth time this season, the Nationals are using an opener. But for the first time, it’ll be someone other than PJ Poulin.

With Poulin having already pitched the last two days in relief – he got the win Thursday and then the save Friday – Blake Butera is instead going to give the ball to Richard Lovelady to open this afternoon’s game against the Marlins. The well-traveled left-hander has a bit of a strange stat line so far through eight appearances with the Nats. He’s only allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings, but he’s allowed 15 batters to reach base (seven hits, seven walks, one hit-by-pitch). Also, lefties are batting .320 against him, while righties have hit only .226. That, though, includes his six appearances with the Mets.

The Nationals will just hope Lovelady can navigate his way through the top of the Marlins lineup before Zack Littell takes over. Littell was markedly better in his last appearance, when he started the third inning after Poulin pitched the first two and wound up retiring 11 of the 13 batters he faced. He was as encouraged after that one as he has been at any other point this season, so perhaps that was a sign he’s finally turned a corner.

Butera will also hope his lineup produces more than it did Friday night, when a three-run top of the first was followed by eight zeros. Luis García Jr., who did come off the bench to pinch-hit late in the 3-2 win, is back in the lineup for the first time in six days, batting second behind James Wood. They’ll be going up against Marlins right-hander Janson Junk, who in spite of his unfortunate name has been very effective, with a 2.82 ERA and 1.043 WHIP in seven starts this season.

As you already know, I’m not in Miami this weekend. Please continue to keep up the lively conversation in the comments section, and I’ll have a recap of the series after Sunday’s game.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: loanDepot Park
Gametime: 4:10 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
3B Brady House
SS CJ Abrams
LF Daylen Lile
CF Jacob Young
DH José Tena
C Drew Millas
2B Nasim Nuñez

LHP Richard Lovelady

MARLINS
2B Xavier Edwards
SS Otto Lopez
DH Liam Hicks
LF Kyle Stowers
1B Connor Norby
CF Jacob Marsee
RF Owen Caissie
3B Leo Jiménez
C Joe Mack

RHP Janson Junk

(03:00) Foster Griffin was tremendous in striking out nine Marlins in seven innings of work.  Griffin has pitched at least six frames in four consecutive starts. The lefty's ERA is a very impressive 2.12.

(11:30) **Riding the wave while it lasts** - Is there any scenario where the Nationals would give Griffin an in-season multi-year extension?

(17:30) Brad Lord came an out shy of recording the save, but a CJ Abrams throwing extended the bottom of the 9th.  PJ Poulin came in relief of Lord and served as the Closer as opposed to the Opener.  Will Poulin then pitch the bottom of the 1st on Saturday?

(22:00) Jacob Young's 2-run HR in the top of the 1st turned out to be the difference. Young has three homers so far this season; already more than he hit in 2025.  

(26:10) Nasim Nuñez stole a pair of bags and he leads the majors with 16 stolen bases. 

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Now that they’ve finally won their first home series of the season, the Nationals can shift their attention back to what they’ve done best: win on the road. The next week offers plenty of opportunities for that, with a six-game trip to Miami and Cincinnati on tap.

Tonight’s series opener at loanDepot Park features an intriguing matchup of left-handers. Foster Griffin has quickly developed into the Nats’ most-reliable starter this season, owner of a 3-1 record, 2.27 ERA and 1.084 WHIP. He’s allowed two or fewer runs in five of his seven starts, and he’s reached the sixth inning in each of his last five games. Now he gets his first look at a Marlins lineup that has hit only 28 homers, fourth-fewest in the majors.

Robby Snelling, meanwhile, makes his MLB debut tonight. The 22-year-old lefty, a first-round pick in the 2022 draft, entered the season as a top-50 prospect by all the various publications and then proceeded to go 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA and 0.897 WHIP in six starts at Triple-A Jacksonville. Oh, did we mention he struck out 44 batters in only 29 innings?

That will be quite the interesting challenge for the Nationals, who are going with as many right-handed hitters as they can against Snelling. Joey Wiemer will start in right field, which pushes James Wood to the DH role for tonight. Luis García Jr. once again is not in the lineup, but that may be a matchup decision more than anything.

I did not make the trip to Miami, choosing instead to spend Mother’s Day weekend with my family. But I’ll be monitoring the games for any news, and I’ll have a full wrap-up article at the end of the series. In the meantime, enjoy tonight’s game and the conversation in the comments section ...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: loanDepot Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
1B Curtis Mead
3B Brady House
SS CJ Abrams
CF Jacob Young
LF Daylen Lile
RF Joey Wiemer
2B Nasim Nuñez
C Keibert Ruiz

LHP Foster Griffin

MARLINS
2B Xavier Edwards
SS Otto Lopez
RF Kyle Stowers
1B Christopher Morel
DH Connor Norby
LF Javier Sanoja
C Joe Mack
3B Leo Jiménez
CF Esteury Ruiz

LHP Robby Snelling

(10:30) Breaking down the Nationals catching situation after back to back days of rare offensive production from that position.

(18:00) Curtis Mead knocked in a pair of runs while hitting 3rd in the lineup.

(20:05) The victory masked Jake Irvin's so-so outing on Thursday.  Irvin allowed eight hits and four runs in just innings of work as his ERA is a concerning 5.22.

(23:00) Multiple instances of good defense by the Nats in this game.

(27:20) Gus Varland notched his 4th save of the season to extend his team lead in that category.

(30:30) Washington heads to Miami for a three game set over the weekend.  Foster Griffin will start on Friday as the team enters the road trip at two games below .500. 

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As much as they can tout their defensive improvement through the season’s first six weeks – and there has been legitimate improvement in that regard – the Nationals know it doesn’t mean a whole lot if their catchers can’t also produce at least a little bit of offense.

And the offensive production from Keibert Ruiz and Drew Millas has been beyond minimal, which explains how they sport a combined bWAR of -0.6 despite above-average defensive metrics.

The Nats aren’t asking for that much out of either guy. But they are asking for something, anything, that might help the team score some more runs.

“I’ve told both of them: Being able to hit is such an added bonus,” manager Blake Butera said. “If we can get some offense from both of those guys, it just goes such a long way with the defense they provide behind the plate right now. Obviously, you see the help it gives us back-to-back days when they swing the bat like this.”

Yes, the narrative has changed just a bit over the last 24 hours. Because for the first time in a long time, the Nationals’ catchers did more than just catch. They both hit, and hit for power, in big spots to help the team win back-to-back games over the Twins and secure a long-awaited first victorious home series.

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Something out of the ordinary had to happen for the Nationals to finally win a home series. That something was one of the best offensive games of Keibert Ruiz’s career.

The light-hitting catcher went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a homer and a career-high five RBI to lead the Nats not only to a 7-5 win over the Twins but their first series win at home this season.

The Twins took an early 2-0 lead despite producing only weak contact (and a whole lot of foul balls) against Jake Irvin. Irvin settled in briefly before giving up another run in the fifth, then one more when he took the mound for the sixth and immediately surrendered a leadoff homer to Ryan Jeffers before manager Blake Butera turned to his bullpen.

But by that point, the Nationals had compiled their own lead, thanks to the unlikely production of their catcher. Ruiz doubled in a run in the third, doubled in two runs in the fifth and then launched a go-ahead homer in the seventh for his biggest day at the plate in a long time.

The Nats added a tack-on run later in the seventh when James Wood doubled and Curtis Mead singled to right to drive in his teammate. And with a two-run cushion, relievers PJ Poulin and Gus Varland were able to close this one out, with Minnesota native Varland earning his team-leading fourth save.

HITTING HIGHLIGHT: And you thought Drew Millas’ big night Wednesday was unexpected. How about what his catching teammate did today? Ruiz was stuck in every bit as big an offensive funk as Millas was, and then he broke out in a huge way in this game. His third-inning double down the right-field line brought home one run. His fifth-inning double to right-center brought home two runs. And his seventh-inning homer into the right-field bullpen gave the Nationals the lead. With eight total bases, Ruiz enjoyed his most-productive day in two years and came within one base of his career high, which he set May 31, 2023. He entered the day with a .506 OPS. He ended it with a .642 OPS. That’s hard to do.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: This was a laborious start for Irvin. Some of that was his own doing. Some of it wasn’t. The pesky Twins managed four hits with an exit velocity of 70 mph or lower, plus two more groundball singles against a shifted infield. But the right-hander also struggled to put guys away when he had the chance with two strikes, with Minnesota’s batters fouling off a ridiculous 24 of his pitches (20 of those through the first three innings alone). Then there was the matter of velocity. Irvin’s fastball averaged only 90.7 mph, down from his season mark of 92.1. And the final pitch he threw – which was launched into the left-field stands by Jeffers – registered a mere 88.1 mph.

NOTABLE: Right-handed hitters are now 2-for-11 against Orlando Ribalta this season.

UP NEXT: The Nats hit the road for their first matchup this season with the Marlins. Friday’s 7:10 p.m. opener features Foster Griffin against fellow left-hander Robby Snelling, a top prospect making his MLB debut. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM

Would you believe the Nationals today have an opportunity to win a home series for the first time this season? Yep, thanks to Wednesday night’s 15-2 trouncing of the Twins, they’re now in a position to take this afternoon’s series finale and take two of three from Minnesota, something they have not done against any other club that has come to D.C. through the season’s first six weeks.

Blake Butera will hope the bats remain hot after that much-needed explosion. They’re facing a guy against whom they’ve had mixed results in Simeon Woods-Richardson. Back in 2023, the Nats scored five runs in 4 2/3 innings against the right-hander, with CJ Abrams homering. Then the following year, Woods-Richardson shut them out over 4 2/3 innings.

Jake Irvin has some history with the Twins himself, positive history. The Minnesota native has faced his hometown team twice and sports a 2.70 ERA with zero walks, having reached the seventh inning in each start. He’ll surely be motivated to face them again this afternoon, hoping to pitch the Nationals to a long-awaited home series win.

Luis García Jr. remains out of the lineup for the third straight game, but his right wrist appears to be healing and it’s possible we’ll see him off the bench today if there’s a pinch-hitting matchup that suits him.

MINNESOTA TWINS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 60 degrees, wind 5 mph in from center

TWINS
CF Byron Buxton
DH Trevor Larnach
LF Austin Martin
C Ryan Jeffers
RF Matt Wallner
2B Luke Keaschall
1B Kody Clemens
SS Brooks Lee
3B Tristan Gray

RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson

NATIONALS
RF James Wood
LF Daylen Lile
1B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
3B Brady House
DH José Tena
CF Jacob Young
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Nasim Nuñez

RHP Jake Irvin

(05:00) Another big night by CJ Abrams, highlighted by a late Grand Slam.  Abrams roped a pair of doubles to give him eight total bases on Wednesday night. Abrams' OPS is at .960, tied for 7th best in the NL.

(11:00) The other three Washington dingers came from Drew Millas, Brady House, and Jose Tena. This was Millas' first homer of the season and his OPS shot up over .100 points after the home run.

(16:30) Miles Mikolas had his best outing of the season and earned the win by last over five innings. Mikolas allowed two runs off of three hits and struck out three Twins.

(20:25) Mitchell Parker tossed over two perfect innings in relief and his stats are very impressive thus far this year.  Parker's ERA is now down to 3.38.

(24:00) Cionel Perez surprisingly chose to be released instead of going to AAA.  Perez then was signed by the Mets on a minor league deal.

(26:30) Jake Irvin is slated as Thursday afternoon's starter as the Nats seek their first series victory at home this season.

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There was a point during tonight’s 15-2 blowout win when every hit the Nationals recorded off the Twins felt like a big hit.

A Drew Millas homer in the fifth. Three straight doubles from CJ Abrams, Brady House and José Tena, then a triple from Nasim Nuñez in the sixth. A homer from House in the seventh. A double from Millas, a grand slam from Abrams and a solo homer from Tena in the eighth.

That’s nine extra-base hits by the Nats over the final four innings of this game, each subsequent hitter trying to outdo the guy who batted before him.

“I think today was more of a momentum thing,” Millas said. “You could feel it. CJ was going. Tena was going. Brady got his hit, and he also hit a nice one off a righty. So it was good to feel the momentum, and it was really contagious, to be honest.”

Now the craziest part of it all: The Nationals did absolutely nothing at the plate through the first three innings of this game. They sent nine men up to face Bailey Ober, and all nine returned to the dugout disappointed, only one of them having so much as hit the ball out of the infield.

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Who did the Nationals turn to for a much-needed home win? Miles Mikolas and Drew Millas, of course. And then a bunch of other hitters to turn a tight ballgame into a rout.

Tonight’s starting battery may not be the first two names most fans would think of when looking for a spark. But both guys came through in a big way tonight to beat the Twins, with Mikolas tossing a season-high 5 1/3 innings and Millas launching his first home run of the season to lead a well-balanced offensive attack that kept getting better as the night progressed.

Mikolas retired 16 of the 19 batters he faced, allowing only three hits (one of them a solo homer by Matt Wallner) in his best start of the year. Mitchell Parker followed with 2 2/3 perfect innings of relief, then the newly added Zak Kent pitched the ninth in his first appearance for the organization.

Shut down for three innings by Bailey Ober, the Nationals broke through in the fourth on CJ Abrams’ RBI double. Millas then delivered the big blow: a two-run homer in the fifth, his first big-league blast since June 21, 2024 at Coors Field. But they were far from done. With four extra-base hits in the sixth (doubles by Abrams, Brady House and José Tena, plus a triple by Nasim Nuñez) and then a two-run homer to the batter’s eye in center in the seventh by House, the Nats blew this game open. And they still weren’t done. They scored seven more runs in the eighth thanks to Abrams’ grand slam and Tena’s homer. They wound up scoring seven more runs tonight as they did in the first four games of this homestand combined.

HITTING HIGHLIGHT: When he stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth, Millas was the owner of a .399 OPS. When he stepped on the plate a few moments later after rounding the bases following his two-run homer, he was the owner of a .480 OPS. Boy, did he need that. As much attention as has been given to Keibert Ruiz’s struggles, Millas’ offensive production has been even worse. He had been 1 for his last 14. He hadn’t delivered an extra-base hit since April 14. He hadn’t recorded an RBI since April 10. One swing won’t completely erase all that, but Millas certainly needed something positive to cling to after a dismal stretch.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: It hasn’t always felt like it, but Mikolas has been making steady progress in recent weeks and has been feeling good about that progress. It finally all came together tonight during what was by far his best outing of the season. Blake Butera didn’t bother using an opener, trusting Mikolas to face the top of the Twins lineup from the get-go. He responded by retiring the first six batters he faced on 24 pitches, with three strikeouts and three groundouts to second. The first batter to reach against him did so via a cheap, check-swing double. He did groove an 0-2 sinker to Wallner on the solo homer in the fifth. But he responded by finishing that inning and returning to face one more batter in the sixth. That was actually the third time he got to face Byron Buxton, a rarity for the veteran right-hander. He retired the Twins’ dynamic leadoff man all three times, then departed to a round of applause from Nats fans. Mikolas, who was booed off this field at the home opener, responded by tipping his cap.

NOTABLE: The Nationals are hoping to have Luis García Jr. back in the lineup Thursday afternoon. García, out since Sunday with a minor sprain of his right hand/wrist, participated in defensive drills at first base this afternoon. He’s been feeling better when he swings, according to Butera.

UP NEXT: It’s a quick turnaround for both clubs, with Thursday’s series finale scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Minnesota native Jake Irvin makes the start for the Nats against right-hander Simeon Woods-Richardson. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM

Not that anyone would describe Miles Mikolas’ recent outings as “good,” but let’s be fair about this: The right-hander has been better. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his last five appearances. The caveat: He hasn’t thrown more than four innings in any of those appearances.

The Nationals had used PJ Poulin as an opener for Mikolas three straight times, but they gave him the chance to start last week. And he’ll get the chance to start again tonight against the Twins, who don’t have as left-handed-heavy a lineup as some other recent opponents.

Really, though, tonight’s game might be more about what the Nats do at the plate than on the mound. Though they still rank top-five in the majors in runs scored for the season, they’ve been held to a total of eight runs through the first four games of this homestand. And they’re averaging only 3.7 runs over their last 11 games, a stretch that includes a 14-run explosion in New York.

The Nationals have another new member of the bullpen tonight: Zak Kent. The 28-year-old right-hander, who was just claimed off waivers from the Twins three days ago, was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to fill the void created by Tuesday night’s demotion of Andre Granillo.

MINNESOTA TWINS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Cloudy, 71 degrees, wind 10 mph out to right

TWINS
CF Byron Buxton
SS Brooks Lee
LF Trevor Larnach
DH Josh Bell
1B Kody Clemens
C Victor Caratini
2B Luke Keaschall
RF Matt Wallner
3B Tristan Gray

RHP Bailey Ober

NATIONALS
RF James Wood
LF Daylen Lile
1B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
3B Brady House
DH José Tena
CF Jacob Young
C Drew Millas
2B Nasim Nuñez

RHP Miles Mikolas

(14:30) Andre Granillo struggled by giving up four late runs in two innings on the mound.  Granilo afterwards was sent down to AAA-Rochester.

(19:00) Jackson Rutledge was DFA'd to make room for reliever Max Kranick on the 40-man roster.  Rutledge was a 1st round draft choice from 2019 that did not pan out.

(22:05) James Wood came very close to hitting a homer and had to settle for a double.  It was Wood's first extra-base hit in almost a week.

(25:10) Daylen Lile doubled in a rare show of power so far this season.  Lile is tied for the team high in hits, but his OPS is only at .692.

(28:30) WIll Riley Adams get called up from AAA to take over for one of the scuffling catchers?

(32:00) Brady House did not start on Tuesday and we answer a listener question about House's usage. 

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There was no one singular storyline today worth delving deep into, so let’s instead share some thoughts about multiple developments from this Tuesday, some of them directly related to the Nationals’ 11-3 loss to the Twins, some of them not …

CAVALLI TAKES A STEP BACKWARD
On the heels of back-to-back dominant starts, you wanted to believe Cade Cavalli had another one in him. You shouldn’t be surprised he didn’t.

Cavalli’s four-inning dud tonight wasn’t entirely his fault. He cruised through the game’s first five batters on only 11 pitches. He also suffered some more bad luck in the form of weakly hit groundballs that weren’t turned into outs and some long, quality at-bats by Minnesota’s hitters that drove up his pitch count.

But the right-hander still didn’t do enough to salvage the start when given the opportunity. He issued four walks, falling back into his command woes from earlier in the season. He committed an error on a little nubber between the mound and first base that led to three unearned runs. And he gave up a pair of two-run doubles, one of them to Trevor Larnich on an 0-2, two-out curveball.

Having seen his starter need 40 pitches just to complete the fourth inning, manager Blake Butera decided not to push Cavalli any further and pulled the plug there, even though his total pitch count was only 76.

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Cade Cavalli saw his brief, dominant run come to an abrupt halt during one agonizingly long inning tonight. And the Nationals never recovered, suffering a lopsided loss to the Twins in the opener of this interleague series.

After back-to-back, 10-strikeout games against the Braves and Mets, Cavalli saw it all come undone tonight during a 40-pitch top of the fourth that only included one hard-hit ball (Trevor Larnach’s two-run double) but also included three walks and a fielding error on the pitcher. Cavalli wound up allowing six runs (three earned) overall.

The Nationals scored a quick run off Taj Bradley in the bottom of the first but squandered opportunities to score more before the Minnesota starter found his groove. Bradley wound up retiring 15 of the last 17 batters he faced, completing six innings on 96 pitches after throwing 51 just to get through his first two frames.

Relievers Andre Granillo and Orlando Ribalta denied the Nats lineup any outside shot at a late rally, giving up a combined five runs over the final three innings, including Byron Buxton’s three-run homer in the eighth. Thus did the home team fall to 4-13 on South Capitol Street this season.

HITTING LOWLIGHT: The bottom line says the Nats barely touched Bradley, totaling two runs on four hits over six innings. Truthfully, though, they had the Twins right-hander on the ropes early and failed to make the most of it. They went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position through the first two innings. And four of those six at-bats were not close to productive: a groundball to first by Jorbit Vivas, plus strikeouts by Jacob Young, Keibert Ruiz and Daylen Lile. CJ Abrams got an RBI despite hitting a grounder to the drawn-in second baseman, and James Wood drove a ball to the warning track in left. Who knows how the rest of the game would’ve played out. But it sure would’ve been nice to see how it played out with the Nats having scored three, four or more runs early instead of just the one.

PITCHING LOWLIGHT: Things were looking so good for Cavalli early on tonight. He retired the first five batters he faced on a scant 11 pitches, looking like he was going to pick up right where he left off in his last two dominant starts. But some bad luck led to a pair of runs in the second. And then a series of unfortunate events led to four more runs (and a ton of pitches) in the fourth. Some of it (two 66-mph groundballs that weren’t converted into outs) weren’t really Cavalli’s fault. But he also issued three walks that inning, not to mention a two-run double on an 0-2 curveball. All of a sudden, he needed 40 pitches just to complete the inning, which prompted Blake Butera to go to his bullpen for the fifth. It was a real step backward after those real steps forward that preceded this game.

NOTABLE: The Nationals officially announced the signing of reliever Max Kranick to a one-year deal with a club option for 2027. Kranick, 28, had a 3.65 ERA and 1.054 WHIP in 24 games for the Mets last season before undergoing elbow surgery. He’ll immediately go on the 15-day IL to continue his rehab. But because they also needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for him, the Nats designated 2019 first-round pick Jackson Rutledge for assignment.

UP NEXT: The series continues Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Miles Mikolas is the scheduled starter for the Nationals (unless they decide to give him an opener again). Right-hander Bailey Ober gets the ball for the Twins. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM

It took a little while to get him going, but Cade Cavalli has been on quite a run his last few times on the mound. After dealing with command issues and a high pitch count through the season’s first couple of weeks, the right-hander has put it all together since. He’s posted back-to-back, 10-strikeout games. He’s also allowed only five earned runs over his last three starts, issuing only two walks in that same span.

Cavalli will try to keep that up tonight when he faces the Twins in the opener of a three-game, interleague series. It’s his first career appearance against Minnesota, so he should have the unfamiliarity edge on his side.

The Nationals aren’t super familiar with Twins starter Taj Bradley, but Blake Butera did manage the former Rays prospect at Single-A Charleston in 2021. Bradley has been very good so far this season, allowing two or fewer runs in six of his seven starts.

Butera’s lineup is a bit short-handed tonight: Luis García Jr. is not starting after departing Sunday’s game with a sore right wrist. Scroll down for the full injury update on García and others …

MINNESOTA TWINS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 81 degrees, wind 15 mph out to left

TWINS
CF Byron Buxton
LF Trevor Larnach
C Ryan Jeffers
DH Josh Bell
RF Austin Martin
1B Kody Clemens
2B Luke Keaschall
SS Brooks Lee
3B Royce Lewis

RHP Taj Bradley

NATIONALS
RF James Wood
LF Daylen Lile
1B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
CF Jacob Young
3B Jorbit Vivas
2B Nasim Nuñez
DH José Tena
C Keibert Ruiz

RHP Cade Cavalli

PREGAME NOTES

GARCIA DAY-TO-DAY WITH MINOR SPRAIN
Though he’s not in tonight’s lineup, García does not need to go on the IL at this point. The second baseman had an MRI test Monday, which revealed a mild hand/wrist sprain. He’s officially considered day-to-day, though Butera said he’ll likely sit out Wednesday night’s game as well, with the hope of returning for Thursday afternoon’s series finale.

García departed Sunday’s game after his second at-bat but said he’s been dealing with the sore wrist for about two weeks and had been able to play through it until now.

García’s absence, even if only for a brief time, is notable. He’s played in 33 of the Nationals’ first 35 games, with 27 of those appearances coming as a member of the starting lineup and another eight coming off bench, often to replace Curtis Mead at first base at some point during games when the opposing team brings in a right-handed reliever.

OTHER INJURY UPDATES
* Clayton Beeter (right forearm soreness) threw off a mound Sunday for the first time since going on the 15-day IL.

* Cole Henry (right rotator cuff strain) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session over the weekend in West Palm Beach and is waiting to be cleared to begin throwing to live hitters.

* Josiah Gray (right flexor strain) played catch Saturday in West Palm Beach for the first time since going on the 60-day IL at the end of spring training.

* DJ Herz and Trevor Williams (rehab from elbow surgery) each threw bullpen sessions over the weekend, 30 pitches for Herz and 20 pitches for Williams.

If you’ve enjoyed the photos you’ve seen on Nats Journal through the season’s first month, you can thank All-Pro Reels. The locally based sports photography company has partnered with me to provide you photos all season long, and I couldn’t be happier with their work to date.

Since there’s only room for one photo alongside each article, here’s an opportunity today to share more of their great work. These are some of the best photos from March/April. If you’d like to learn more about All-Pro Reels, be sure to check them out on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or their website.