Good afternoon from Nationals Park, where the home team faces the Astros for the next three nights. And they’ve got Miles Mikolas starting tonight’s series opener. So, to answer your obvious question: No, we haven’t heard anything about the suspension appeals yet.
Barring something dramatic between now and 6:45 p.m., it’ll be Mikolas taking the mound for the top of the first. No opener for him in this one. And with the bullpen somewhat depleted after Cade Cavalli lasted only 2 1/3 innings Sunday, the Nats probably need some length from Mikolas this evening.
Speaking of the bullpen … there was a roster move today, as expected. But it’s not the move we did expect. It’s Cole Henry who was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take the roster spot held yesterday by Eddy Yean. Yean, by the way, was sent down not in any way because of how he pitched, but because he would’ve been unavailable for several days after appearing across three different innings for the first time this season. Blake Butera spoke glowingly about him and made it clear the rookie right-hander will be back in the majors sooner rather than later.
Butera has a pretty standard lineup tonight to face Astros right-hander Mike Burrows. James Wood will be the DH, which puts Dylan Crews in right field and Jacob Young (who missed a couple days with a sore left hand) in center field. Drew Millas gets the nod behind the plate after Keibert Ruiz started Sunday’s game.
A couple other injury notes to pass along: Jake Irvin is ready to face live hitters Wednesday for the first time since going on the 15-day IL in late-May. Butera said the right-hander (who has a shoulder strain) has progressed well in recent weeks, and if all goes well with his live BP session this week, he should be ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Speaking of minor-league rehab assignments: Max Kranick will make one Tuesday for Rochester, and Trevor Williams will make one Wednesday for Rochester.
UPDATE: MLB has reduced Cavalli’s suspension from 7 to 5 games, and he will begin serving it tonight. That makes him eligible to return for Sunday’s first-half finale against the Yankees if the team wants to pitch him that day.
There’s been no ruling on Mikolas’ appeal yet, so he’s warming up and preparing to start tonight’s game.
HOUSTON ASTROS 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, 82 degrees, 8 mph in from right
ASTROS
2B Jose Altuve
DH Yordan Alvarez
3B Isaac Paredes
1B Christian Walker
LF LaMonte Wade Jr.
RF Cam Smith
C Yainer Diaz
SS Braden Shewmake
CF Brice Matthews
RHP Mike Burrows
NATIONALS
DH James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
3B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
RF Dylan Crews
LF Daylen Lile
CF Jacob Young
C Drew Millas
2B Nasim Nuñez
RHP Miles Mikolas
NEWS: MLB has reduced Cade Cavalli's suspension from 7 to 5 games, and he will begin serving it tonight. That makes him eligible to return for Sunday's first-half finale against the Yankees if the team wants to pitch him that day.
There's been no ruling on Miles Mikolas' appeal yet, so he's warming up and preparing to start tonight's game.
The 2026 Nationals have 4 players with 15+ homers before the All-Star break.
The 2022 Nationals had 2 players with 15+ homers for the season.