(Washington, D.C.) Cade Cavalli’s latest strong start was impressive on its own.It was even more meaningful because of everything he had to overcome to reach this point.

Six days after a come backer struck his right leg and forced him out of his previous start early, Cavalli returned to the mound Saturday night at Dodger Stadium and delivered six strong innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He struck out eight batters and showed no lingering effects from the injury in the Nationals’ 6-5 loss.The performance continued one of the best stretches of pitching by a Nationals starter in recent seasons. It also strengthened the argument that Cade Cavalli is no longer simply trying to reclaim the promise that made him a first-round draft pick.

He is making his case to become the rotation anchor Washington has been waiting for.

A Challenging First Career Start Against the Dodgers

Cavalli’s first career start against the Dodgers began with an early mistake, but his response was far more important than the way the night started.In the bottom of the first inning, a defensive miscommunication on what appeared to be a potential inning-ending double-play ball brought Cavalli and first baseman Abimelec Ortiz together at the bag.

The two collided as Cavalli attempted to cover first, allowing the Dodgers to extend the inning. Los Angeles took advantage.

Teoscar Hernández and Hunter Feduccia followed with back-to-back RBI singles, giving the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead.For a pitcher making his first career start against one of baseball’s most dangerous lineups, in one of the sport’s most challenging environments, the inning could have continued to spiral.

Instead, Cavalli took responsibility, reset and changed the direction of the game.“That’s 100 percent on me,” Cavalli said. “I should have said, ‘I got it, I got it.’ I just assumed, and there’s an issue when you assume. That’s my fault. It’s something we can learn from, something I can for sure learn from and communicate better.”

After the first inning, the Dodgers managed only one hit against Cavalli over the next five frames.The early mistake remained on the scoreboard, but it did not remain in Cavalli’s head. That response was another example of the growth he has shown throughout his long journey back to the Majors.

Cade Cavalli RHP
Washington Nationals

12-5
W-L

3.12
ERA

158.2
IP

185
SO

55
ER

141
H

17
HR

Born: 8/14/1998 in Tulsa, OK

College: Oklahoma

Drafted 22nd overall by the Washington Nationals in the 2020 MLB Draft.

Major League Debut: August 26, 2022 | Made his first career Opening Day start in 2026

Ranked 10th in the National League with a 3.12 ERA entering Saturday’s game.

Went 3-1 with a 4.25 ERA in 10 starts for Washington in 2025.

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The Road Back

Cavalli’s current success carries extra weight because of the long road he traveled to get here.The Nationals selected him with the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, expecting him to develop into a potential top-of-the-rotation starter.

His path to that role, however, was interrupted by injuries.Cavalli reported to Washington’s spring training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2023 while competing for a spot in the Nationals’ starting rotation.

On March 14 of that year, while pitching against the New York Mets, he suffered a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm.The injury required Tommy John surgery and ended his 2023 season.

After a lengthy recovery, Cavalli returned to the mound during the second half of the 2024 season. His comeback was limited, however, by influenza and problems with what baseball players often call “dead arm.”

He made only three minor-league appearances that season—one with the Single-A Fredericksburg Nationals and two with Wilmington. In 8⅓ innings, he posted a 2.18 ERA and did not record a decision.

Although Cavalli was finally healthy by the end of the 2024 minor-league season, he did not return to Washington that year.

The comeback would take more time.

Earning Another Opportunity

Cavalli spent the 2024-25 offseason following a regular throwing program before joining the Nationals for spring training in 2025.He began that season with Rochester, where he made 17 starts and posted a 4-7 record with a 5.35 ERA over 74 innings.

His results improved as the season progressed.Over his final four outings with the Red Wings, Cavalli struck out 25 batters in 20⅓ innings. He also did not walk a batter in his final two starts, which covered 10 innings. That late-season progress earned him another opportunity in Washington

.On Aug. 6, 2025, Cavalli made his second Major League appearance 1,076 days after his first. Starting against the Athletics at Nationals Park, he pitched 4⅓ scoreless innings in a 2-1 Nationals victory.He allowed three hits and one walk while throwing 88 pitches. His four-seam fastball averaged 97.3 mph, and one reached 100.1 mph.

He struck out six batters, becoming the sixth pitcher in Nationals history to record at least 12 strikeouts in his first two Major League appearances.

Ten days later, Cavalli earned his first Major League win against the Philadelphia Phillies. He pitched seven innings, allowed seven hits and struck out five in a 2-0 Nationals victory. He finished the 2025 season with 10 starts for Washington, going 3-1 with a 4.25 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 48⅔ innings.That season was not the destination.

It was the first full step back.

A Historic Stretch

Entering Saturday night’s game, Cavalli ranked 10th in the National League with a 3.12 ERA.If he finishes the season in the top 10, he would become the first Nationals pitcher to do so since 2019.

That season, Max Scherzer finished sixth with a 2.92 ERA, Patrick Corbin ranked eighth with a 3.25 ERA and Stephen Strasburg finished 10th with a 3.32 ERA.

Cavalli’s recent numbers have placed him even higher among the league’s best pitchers. Over his last nine starts dating back to July 17, Cavalli is 7-1 with a 1.83 ERA. He has allowed 11 earned runs over 54.0 innings, and opponents are hitting just .188 against him.

During that stretch, Cavalli ranks:

First in the National League in ERA at 1.83.

Tied for second in strikeouts with 67.

Second in strikeouts per nine innings at 11.17.

Fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 4.79.

Over his last seven starts, Cavalli is 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA.

He has allowed nine earned runs and 26 hits, walked 10 and struck out 55 over 42.0 innings.

Those numbers are impressive, but his consistency throughout the season may be even more telling.

Three Runs or Fewer

Cavalli has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 27 of his 29 starts this season, the best mark among Major League starters.

New York’s Cam Schlittler is next with 26 such starts, followed by Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski with 25. Cavalli has also recorded three starts this season in which he pitched at least six innings, struck out at least 10 batters and did not allow an earned run.

Since 2005, only three pitchers in Nationals history have recorded at least three such games in a season: Cavalli, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.Scherzer reached the mark in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

Strasburg did it in 2019. Cavalli has also recorded five games with at least 10 strikeouts this season, tying him for fourth in Major League Baseball.

Jacob Misiorowski and Gavin Williams lead the Majors with 10 such games, while Dylan Cease has nine.The strikeouts showcase Cavalli’s swing-and-miss ability. The run prevention shows a more complete pitcher.

From Opening Day to Anchor

Cavalli opened the 2026 season by making his first career Opening Day start against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on March 26. He allowed three runs, two of them earned, while striking out five batters.

With the start, Cavalli became the 10th different pitcher in Nationals history to take the ball on Opening Day since 2005. That assignment represented how far he had come.

Three years earlier, his season had ended before it truly began. A year after that, he was still trying to regain his strength and consistency in the Minor Leagues.

In 2025, he earned his way back to Washington one start at a time.Now, he is being trusted with the first game of the season and pitching like a starter capable of carrying the rotation through the final weeks.

Butera has seen the growth in Cavalli’s mindset.“He’s done a really good job of just stopping that momentum and not letting it continue to roll south,” Butera said. “I think that comes from having gone through it, staying healthy like he has this year, and being able to go out there every fifth day to learn. He’s done a nice job with that mindset.”

The Next Chapter

Even though the Nationals lost to the Dodgers, but the result did not erase what Cavalli accomplished. He returned from a leg injury, navigated a difficult first inning, struck out eight batters and held one of baseball’s best offenses to one hit over his final five innings.

More importantly, he continued to show the traits Washington needs from a rotation leader: durability, accountability, swing-and-miss stuff and the ability to prevent one mistake from becoming a larger problem.

Cavalli has already worked his way back from Tommy John surgery and a series of setbacks that threatened to delay his career. He has already earned another chance in the Majors.

Now, the former first-round pick is building something more lasting.If he remains healthy and continues pitching at this level, Cavalli could finish the season as the Nationals’ first top-10 National League ERA finisher since 2019.

.He could also finish it having answered the biggest question surrounding his career: Can Cade Cavalli become the pitcher Washington believed it drafted? So far, the answer is becoming increasingly clear.

Cade Cavalli is continuing to make his case as the Nationals’ rotation anchor.

Richard Wachtel is the Owner and Editor-in-Chief of the Nats Report

Stats are as of September 6, 2026

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