Game 66: Nats at Diamondbacks

Cade Cavalli and the Nationals go for the sweep today in Arizona. Plus, news on Riley Cornelio's return and Jake Irvin's rehab.

PHOENIX – Good morning from Chase Field. (Yes, it’s still morning here.) The Nationals today go for the series sweep against the Diamondbacks, with an earlier-than-usual first pitch of 12:15 p.m. local time (3:15 p.m. on the East Coast). This is another Peacock/NBCSN broadcast, so FYI you won’t be able to watch it on Nationals TV.

The Nats have received back-to-back dominant-if-brief starts this weekend, with Foster Griffin and Zack Littell each allowing one run on two hits over five innings on fewer than 65 pitches before departing. They’ll hope for similar (and, ideally, longer) results today out of Cade Cavalli, who has a 2.50 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 18 innings across his last three starts.

On the mound for Arizona is old friend Michael Soroka, the veteran right-hander who made 16 starts for the Nationals last season before getting traded to the Cubs at the deadline for prospects Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz. He signed with the D-backs for $7.5 million and has pitched well through 12 starts so far this season, going 7-3 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.194 WHIP. The biggest difference from last year? He’s cut down his home run rate, from 1.2 per nine innings to 0.7 per nine.

The Nats have a new arm in the bullpen for today’s game: Riley Cornelio, who was recalled from Triple-A Rochester this morning after Cole Henry was optioned following Saturday’s game. Scroll down below the lineups for more on Cornelio, plus the latest on Jake Irvin. ...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Where: Chase Field
Gametime: 3:15 p.m. EDT
TV: Peacock/NBCSN
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
3B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
RF Dylan Crews
LF Daylen Lile
C Keibert Ruiz
2B José Tena
CF Jacob Young

RHP Cade Cavalli

DIAMONDBACKS
2B Ketel Marte
RF Corbin Carroll
C Gabriel Moreno
3B Nolan Arenado
DH Pavin Smith
CF Ryan Waldschmidt
SS Geraldo Perdomo
1B LuJames Groover
LF Tommy Troy

RHP Michael Soroka

PREGAME NOTES

Photo by Michael Brown / MLB PHOTOS

CORNELIO RETURNS TO RELIEF ROLE

When the Nationals promoted Riley Cornelio from Triple-A Rochester to make his MLB debut in late-April, they knew they planned to send him back down regardless of the result. This time around, they intend to keep him around as another multi-inning reliever in a bullpen that has prioritized those who can succeed in that role.

In his April 24 debut against the White Sox, Cornelio was thrown into the fire, pitching the seventh inning with the Nats leading by a run. He wound up giving up the lead, then re-took the mound for the eighth inning (after Brady House hit a game-tying homer) and promptly gave the lead right back in what wound up a 5-4 loss. The Nationals sent the 26-year-old right-hander back to Rochester, where he recently made a two-inning relief appearance in preparation for this promotion.

“Now that he’s here, hopefully it’s not as big of a deal as it was last time,” manager Blake Butera said. “And he’s had some opportunity to pitch out of the bullpen a little bit, or pitch behind an opener. He’s had some experience with it now, so hopefully: 1) He’s gotten a chance to pitch in the big leagues already, 2) He’s gotten a chance to pitch out of the bullpen. Hopefully this time, there’s more confidence and things are a little bit slower for him.”

Cornelio agreed he’s better prepared for his second MLB stint than he was for his first.

“I think this time … it’s definitely more relief,” he said. “I feel like I’m really ready.”

The Nationals hope Cornelio can adapt to this bullpen role, much as former starters Brad Lord, Mitchell Parker and Andrew Alvarez (before he moved into the rotation) have done this season. But they know he needs to trust that his upper-90s fastball can get big-league hitters out.

“The stuff’s really good,” Butera said. “The message to Riley is now going to be throwing that stuff with conviction and in the zone. We’ve got to limit the walks. He strikes out a lot of guys, but he also walks a lot of guys. So we’ll continue to preach to him: Just because you’re in the big leagues, don’t change who you are. Attack hitters. Because his stuff’s really good, and we like him.”

NATS TAKING IT SLOW WITH IRVIN

Though he has been throwing a plyometric ball against a wall to test out his shoulder, Jake Irvin has not yet played traditional catch with a baseball. The right-hander, who went on the 15-day IL two weeks ago with a shoulder strain, said he has felt good through his exercise regime so far, but the Nationals aren’t ready to clear him to take the next step yet.

“We’re being super cautious with it,” Butera said. “He’s going to continue to do strengthening exercises every day. Now he’s getting to throw plyo balls against the wall. And the next step will be playing catch if the plyos are going well.”

When he went on the IL after throwing five no-hit innings against the Braves, Irvin was told he’d be able to start throwing within three days, suggesting he’d be able to return to the active roster as soon as the minimum 15 days were up. The team has since backed off that ideal plan, preferring to take a more measured approach.

“He wanted to come back after the minimum stay,” Butera said. “But it’s like: ‘Jake, if that’s the best thing for you, where this is completely gone? Sure. But our goal is not for you to get this down enough to where you can deal with it. The goal is, even if it takes a couple weeks longer, this needs to be a thing of the past when you come back. Because if we’re going to make a run at this thing, we need you to be a big part of this.

“That might mean testing out your patience a little bit. But we don’t want you to come back to ‘it only hurts a little bit.’ No, this should be gone and I hope you pitch the rest of the season – whenever it is you come back – and the rest of your career without this thing even in the back of your mind at all.”