Cade Freaking Cavalli! On a season with a ton of postives (Wood, CJ etc) watching Cade transform into the ace might be my favorite one. Another Curly W is in the books!
Don't laugh. If the Lerners still own this team when Cavalli and others come close to free agency they'll all be traded , including Wood . Unless they're forced into a minimum spend under the new agreement this will never change which is why they need to sell
I listened to it as well. I was still working when the game started, and then had my drive home in Atlanta traffic. They need to play every day during rush hour traffic! Makes the drive much more entertaining.
Cade Cavalli is the unquestioned ace of this staff. He stepped up his game against one of the top offenses in the game, the kind of start you can envision from your ace in October!
Just noticed, with this link, you may have to click on the GSC column to get the correct ranking of game score.
And now I noticed that's actually not today's start listed. Today's game score was 88, just topping the one listed. I really need to look more carefully!
That was easily Cavalli’s best start of the year, and probably the best pitched game by a National this season. What really stood out was the efficiency. He had the fastball working, but the knuckle curve and sweeper were especially nasty. The Cubs just never seemed comfortable against the breaking stuff. Eight scoreless innings, one bloop single, two walks and 10 strikeouts on 103 pitches is about as dominant as you can ask for.
Ortiz is getting really interesting too. Four homers and a 1.160 OPS through 11 games obviously isn’t going to continue at that pace, but he’s not just sneaking balls over the fence, he’s crushing them. And so far he looks like the better defensive first baseman as well. It’ll be interesting to see what he does over the final month and a half. If he keeps hitting anywhere close to this, he could make first base a much more interesting question going into 2027.
You are correct, Yeremy Cabrera, Gavin Fien, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Abimelec Ortiz and Alejandro Rosario the pitcher you mentioned who will be out all next year.
Agree on what we've seen so far. Just remember how excited folks were about Joey Meneses after the Soto trade. I do expect Ortiz to do better than that long term, but just a cautionary note.
Posted this late in the game thread, so re-posting here:
Their next 17 games are against the Mets, Rangers, Marlins, Rockies, and Marlins again. To have any chance at a wild card, I think they've gotta go 11-6 at worst. That would put them at 71-69 at the end of August.
And then September starts out with 9 against Atlanta, the Dodgers, and the Padres.
I was disappointed with Tuesday’sand Wednesday’s outcomes but quickly realized that the Cubs are a veteran club with quality pitching and that was the marked difference where good hitters feast on young, inexperienced pitchers. Today’s outcome provides the peek at what the future holds for this young Nats roster. There is still time to do exceptional things in this season and potentially the postseason.
Cade Cavalli. That is all.
Cade Freaking Cavalli! On a season with a ton of postives (Wood, CJ etc) watching Cade transform into the ace might be my favorite one. Another Curly W is in the books!
Love to see it. Great game in the middle of a huge step forward season for Cade.
Solidified his #1 SP status
Great point on the radio broadcast that Cavalli seems to be getting stronger and stronger as the season goes on.
Seven straight quality starts… nine of last ten.
That must mean Toboni is getting ready to trade him, so Mark won’t have to pay him. 😂
Booooooo!!! lol
Don't laugh. If the Lerners still own this team when Cavalli and others come close to free agency they'll all be traded , including Wood . Unless they're forced into a minimum spend under the new agreement this will never change which is why they need to sell
Ha, I appreciate the snark, curious to see how many of the Lerners are Cheap crowd take the bait.
Fun game to watch.
Hey, it was fun to listen to!
I listened to it as well. I was still working when the game started, and then had my drive home in Atlanta traffic. They need to play every day during rush hour traffic! Makes the drive much more entertaining.
The Cade Cavalli Show, co-starring Abimelec Ortiz.
Cade Cavalli is the unquestioned ace of this staff. He stepped up his game against one of the top offenses in the game, the kind of start you can envision from your ace in October!
In case you're wondering where this start ranks in the majors this season using game score:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/topperformers/_/type/pitching
Just noticed, with this link, you may have to click on the GSC column to get the correct ranking of game score.
And now I noticed that's actually not today's start listed. Today's game score was 88, just topping the one listed. I really need to look more carefully!
That was easily Cavalli’s best start of the year, and probably the best pitched game by a National this season. What really stood out was the efficiency. He had the fastball working, but the knuckle curve and sweeper were especially nasty. The Cubs just never seemed comfortable against the breaking stuff. Eight scoreless innings, one bloop single, two walks and 10 strikeouts on 103 pitches is about as dominant as you can ask for.
Ortiz is getting really interesting too. Four homers and a 1.160 OPS through 11 games obviously isn’t going to continue at that pace, but he’s not just sneaking balls over the fence, he’s crushing them. And so far he looks like the better defensive first baseman as well. It’ll be interesting to see what he does over the final month and a half. If he keeps hitting anywhere close to this, he could make first base a much more interesting question going into 2027.
Can someone refresh my memory about how we got Ortiz??
It was one of the 4 players we got for Gore.
thanks
5 players, although the pitcher (his name escapes me) recently had Tommy John surgery.
You are correct, Yeremy Cabrera, Gavin Fien, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Abimelec Ortiz and Alejandro Rosario the pitcher you mentioned who will be out all next year.
I believe he came over in the Mackenzie Gore trade
thanks
Being better than Chaparro isn’t a high bar to clear, but he seems really sound.
Chaparro has his defensive shortcomings, put he currently has a .827 OPS and a 129 wRC+.
Fair enough but I intended to refer solely to his fielding. I could have been clearer.
Chaparro crushes lefties.
Ortiz crushes righties.
Don't expect that platoon to change unless their performance does.
And Ortiz already has a Red Seat with his name on it! Or will eventually whenever they can install it.
What question?
I especially like how he runs out of the box when he hits a bomb, instead of standing and admiring. A keeper.
Agree on what we've seen so far. Just remember how excited folks were about Joey Meneses after the Soto trade. I do expect Ortiz to do better than that long term, but just a cautionary note.
Ortiz is young, has been a prospect, high minor league performance.... Wasn't Meneses already in his 60's when he debuted?
It's especially heartening when you remember what Cavalli had to go through the last two and a half years to get where he is now.
Unquestioned patience, diligence, hard work, and faith.
It also made me think of Josiah Gray, who is currently going through the exact same rehab right now.
I guess Crews should hit 10th every game. A good day for DC (the Nat and my home)
WHAT A FUN CURLY W!! CADE CAVALLI IS A MONSTER BEAST!! THE OFFENSE IS A SUPER BEAST!!
I SAY WE SWEEP THE METS!! HOW ABOUT IT?!?!?! LET'S GO NATS!!
Posted this late in the game thread, so re-posting here:
Their next 17 games are against the Mets, Rangers, Marlins, Rockies, and Marlins again. To have any chance at a wild card, I think they've gotta go 11-6 at worst. That would put them at 71-69 at the end of August.
And then September starts out with 9 against Atlanta, the Dodgers, and the Padres.
Oof.
Well, that was easily the best Nats pitching performance of 2026 and ecstatic that I got to see it in person.
Also, one of the best ballpark experiences all year.
Still coming down so to speak. Will do a quick game report in the A.M.
I was disappointed with Tuesday’sand Wednesday’s outcomes but quickly realized that the Cubs are a veteran club with quality pitching and that was the marked difference where good hitters feast on young, inexperienced pitchers. Today’s outcome provides the peek at what the future holds for this young Nats roster. There is still time to do exceptional things in this season and potentially the postseason.
Although the Nats did score 6 runs in both of those games.