The Washington Nationals will kick off a three-game series against the Miami Marlins today at Nationals Park with the scheduled first pitch at 1:05 p.m. The Nationals will send lefty Andrew Alvarez, who will be making his MLB debut this afternoon. The visiting Miami Marlins will send right-handed pitcher Lake Bachar, who has a 5-1 record and a 3.39 ERA. [More on the pitching matchups later in our Game Notes.]

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The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Washington Nationals 7-4 on Sunday at Nationals Park. Tampa Bay built a 7-0 lead through three innings, highlighted by Brandon Lowe’s grand slam in the second inning. Washington starter Brad Lord struggled early as the Rays capitalized on their opportunities.

The Nationals’ bullpen then stabilized the game, with PJ Poulin, Clayton Beeter, Shinnosuke Ogasawara, Jose A. Ferrer, and Orlando Ribalta combining for five hitless innings and keeping the Rays scoreless through the final six innings.

Offensively, Brady House led Washington with two hits and two runs batted in. Daylen Lile also contributed two hits as the Nationals rallied late but fell short in the ninth inning.

On Deck…

Tomorrow, the Nationals will play game two of their three-game series against the Miami Marlins with the scheduled first pitch at 6:45 p.m. EDT. The Nationals are scheduled to send right-handed pitcher Cade Cavalli to the mound, who has a 1-1 record and an ERA of 5.11. The Nationals are scheduled to face right-handed pitcher Adam Mazur with a record of 0-1 and a 5.59 ERA.

Cade Cavalli has tossed 11.1 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and one walk in two starts at Nationals Park this season.

In the hole…

On Wednesday afternoon, the Nationals will finish up their six-game homestand and also their three-game series against the Marlins with the first pitch at 1:05 p.m. EDT. The Nationals are scheduled to send lefty Mitchell Parker to the mound, who has a 7-15 record and a 5.94 ERA. Parker is coming off 6.1 strong innings that included seven strikeouts, zero walks, and three earned runs in his last start on Aug. 29 vs. Tampa Bay.

James Wood has shown consistent offensive production recently, reaching base safely in 19 of his last 22 games and posting a .471 slugging percentage during this stretch, which includes 10 doubles and two home runs. In his last 11 games, Wood has hit .293 (12-for-41) with four doubles, one homer, four RBIs, and eight walks. This season, he stands among just 12 players with at least 25 home runs and 15 stolen bases, joining notable talents like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Jose Ramirez. Wood has also accumulated 31 doubles this year, with only him and Pete Crow-Armstrong reaching the combined milestones of 25 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and 30 doubles. With 84 RBIs on the season, Wood is closing in on his first 100-RBI campaign since 2019, when both Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto surpassed that mark.

Wood’s combination of power and speed makes him one of the more versatile offensive threats in the league. His ability to contribute in multiple categories adds significant value to the Nationals’ lineup as they push toward the postseason. Approaching the 100-RBI mark also places Wood in elite company within the franchise, highlighting his role as a key run producer and a cornerstone for Washington's offense.

Since Aug. 29, the Washington Nationals' bullpen, guided by pitching coach Ricky Bones, has allowed just three hits and struck out 15 over 11.2 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .079 batting average. Over the past three games, the bullpen has allowed only six baserunners (three hits and three walks), the fewest by any Major League bullpen in that span. Overall, since Aug. 20, Washington’s bullpen leads MLB with a 2.05 ERA, allowing 10 earned runs in 44 innings while holding opponents to a .139 batting average. During this stretch, the relievers have struck out 51 and walked 20 batters, recording two wins, two saves, and six holds.

Individual performances have been key contributors. Clayton Beeter has not allowed a hit or run in his last seven appearances (6.2 innings), with 10 of his last 12 outings being scoreless. His .083 opponents’ batting average since Aug. 5 ranks third lowest in MLB among pitchers with at least 10 innings pitched. PJ Poulin has posted a 1.84 ERA with 15 strikeouts and held batters to a .204 average since joining the Nationals in early August. Jackson Rutledge has worked six consecutive scoreless innings, striking out eight while allowing just three baserunners. Additionally, Shinnosuke Ogasawara has limited left-handed hitters to a .115 average in his last ten appearances.

The bullpen’s recent dominance is a major factor in stabilizing a Nationals team that has struggled throughout the season. Holding opponents to a low batting average and maintaining a sub-2.10 ERA over multiple weeks gives the team a chance to stay competitive in games and build momentum moving into September. With strong performances from key relievers, Washington’s bullpen could provide a foundation for improved results in the final stretch of the season, a critical time for player development and evaluation.

The Washington Nationals expanded their roster to 28 players on Monday, selecting the contract of left-handed pitcher Andrew Alvarez from Triple-A Rochester and recalling infielder Nasim Nuñez from the same affiliate. Alvarez, 26, is scheduled to make his major league debut as a starter today.

He was a 12th-round draft pick in 2021 from California Polytechnic State University. He posted a 3-7 record with a 3.95 ERA over 25 starts this season for Rochester, striking out 114 batters and walking 52 across 123 innings. Nuñez, 25, returns for his second stint with the Nationals this year. Since August 2, he has batted .365 (23-for-63) with four doubles, one home run, 18 RBIs, seven walks, 14 stolen bases, and 16 runs scored in 19 games with Rochester.

Alvarez will make his Major League debut today, becoming the 30th pitcher developed by the Nationals to start a game for the team. He is the third homegrown pitcher this season to make his first career start, joining Brad Lord and Shinnosuke Ogasawara.

Andrew Alvarez has been a steady presence for Triple-A Rochester this season, pitching to a 3-7 record with a 3.95 ERA in 25 starts that included 114 strikeouts and 52 walks over 123 innings. Since July 29, he has been particularly effective, going 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA, striking out 39 batters while holding opponents to a .170 batting average over 30.1 innings. His 123 innings pitched rank second in the Nationals’ system and fourth across all of Triple-A, while his 114 strikeouts are third in the organization and 10th in Triple-A.

In 2024, Alvarez posted an 8-9 record with a 3.90 ERA in 26 starts split between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester. He struck out a season-high 10 batters over five scoreless innings in his final start that year. The previous season, he was named Washington’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year after leading the organization with a 2.99 ERA and topping several statistical categories, including innings pitched and ERA. His standout performance included an eight-inning no-hit outing with 11 strikeouts, earning him league Pitcher of the Week honors.