The Nationals enter a three-game weekend set with the Brewers, who will be the first opponent that they’re seeing a second time this season. After sweeping Milwaukee early last month, Washington will look to build on their momentum having won both series’ on the last road trip.

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The Washington Nationals and New York Mets went back-and-forth all afternoon, with momentum flipping multiple times before Washington landed the final punch late. The Nationals took advantage early in the second inning when a defensive mistake opened the door as Jorbit Vivas came all the way around to score on a Freddy Peralta throwing error, and Jacob Young followed with an RBI single to make it 2–0. But the Mets answered immediately in the third, as MJ Melendez crushed a three-run homer to swing the game in New York’s favor. From there, both sides traded off until the Mets scratched across another run in the sixth to take a 4–3 lead, putting Washington on the ropes heading into the late innings.

The turning point came in the eighth. Luis García Jr. led off with a single, and after Washington avoided a double play, CJ Abrams stepped in and delivered the go-ahead two-run homer that flipped the game back to 5–4. The Nationals bullpen held from there, locking it down in the ninth despite a late Mets threat that brought the tying run into scoring position. Abrams finished with three RBIs in the win, while Washington’s pitching did just enough to secure it.

On Deck…

It’ll be a southpaw matchup on Saturday, as Kyle Harrison faces off against Foster Griffin at 4:05 P.M. Both pitchers are coming off of quality starts, and it is set up to be a pitcher’s duel in this second game of the series.

In the hole…

The series will wrap up with a Sunday matinee, where Chad Patrick and Zack Littell will take the mound for their respective squads. Washington will then have Monday off before welcoming the Twins on Tuesday.

James Wood has quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous hitters in Major League Baseball. Since April 5, he leads the league in on-base percentage (.470) while ranking tied for first in home runs (9), runs scored (26), and walks (27). The surge comes after a slow opening stretch in which he went just 4-for-26 (.111) over his first eight games of the season.

Wood’s impact isn’t just showing up in the box score it’s coming off the bat with authority. He is one of only three players in the majors with multiple batted balls exceeding 116.0 MPH this season, alongside Yordan Alvarez and O’Neil Cruz. His 42 batted balls hit harder than 100 MPH are the most in the sport, further underscoring his elite contact quality.

Elsewhere in the Nationals lineup, several hitters have begun to find their rhythm. Luis García Jr. has been particularly productive, going 10-for-27 (.370) over his last eight games with three doubles, four RBI, and five runs scored, while recording hits in five of those contests.

Brady House has also shown signs of progress, hitting safely in eight of his last 10 games. During that stretch, he has collected two home runs and seven RBI, highlighted by his first career grand slam on April 29 at New York (NL). The performance marked his first four-RBI game at the major league level.

Jorbit Vivas continues to provide consistency, recording hits in 16 of his 19 starts this season. He enters play having reached base safely in 12 consecutive starts, offering a steady presence near the bottom of the lineup.

Washington’s bullpen has quietly become one of the club’s biggest strengths in recent days. Over the last five games, Nationals relievers have combined to go 3-0 while allowing just three earned runs on 12 hits, striking out 15 batters and holding opponents to a .182 average. The group has also secured two saves and two holds during that stretch, consistently protecting leads and keeping games within reach.

Brad Lord has been particularly dominant, allowing just one earned run across his last four appearances (9.0 innings) while striking out four and issuing no walks. Opponents are hitting just .161 (5-for-31) against him in that span, as he continues to provide reliable, high-leverage innings.

PJ Poulin has also delivered steady results, going 2-0 over his last 10 outings (including three starts). He has allowed three earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts, and notably, eight of those appearances have been scoreless.

Paxton Schultz reached a career milestone on April 26 at Chicago (AL), recording his first Major League save and adding another dependable arm to the late-inning mix.

Meanwhile, Gus Varland has emerged as a key late-game option. Over his last nine appearances, he has posted a 1.04 ERA (1 ER/8.2 IP) with nine strikeouts, while converting the first three saves of his career during that stretch.

Jake Irvin is coming off one of his strongest outings of the season, striking out a season-high nine batters over 5.2 scoreless innings on April 25 against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Despite the dominant performance, he did not factor into the decision in Washington’s extra-innings victory.

Irvin now turns his attention to Milwaukee, where he is set to make his seventh career start against the Brewers. He enters the matchup still searching for his first win against them, holding an 0-5 record with a 6.42 ERA (24 ER/33.2 IP). In his most recent outing against Milwaukee on April 10, he allowed three earned runs on two hits, including a home run, while issuing five walks across 5.0 innings.

Recent performances, however, suggest Irvin may be trending in the right direction. Over his last three starts against Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and the Chicago White Sox, he has posted a 2.87 ERA (5 ER/15.2 IP) with 18 strikeouts, while not allowing more than three earned runs in any outing. During that stretch, opponents are hitting just .190 against him, and he has surrendered only two extra-base hits, one home run and one double.

The Milwaukee Brewers lineup hasn’t been overwhelming top-to-bottom, but it’s built on on-base ability and a few key impact bats. Brice Turang has been the tone-setter, slashing .291/.422/.505 (159 OPS+) with elite table-setting ability, while William Contreras continues to anchor the middle with a .795 OPS and consistent contact. There’s also some sneaky power as Jake Bauers (5 HR) and Gary Sánchez (5 HR, .931 OPS) can change a game quickly, even if the team’s overall slugging numbers aren’t elite.

As a group, Milwaukee is hitting .241 with a .338 OBP, leaning more on getting runners on than blowing games open with power. That approach hasn’t translated into dominance against Washington recently, though. The Nationals swept them earlier this year in Milwaukee and have taken control of the 2026 season series so far.

The Milwaukee Brewers are turning to one of their most electric young arms in Jacob Misiorowski, and this will be his first career look at the Washington Nationals. The 24-year-old right-hander has been solid through his first six starts of 2026, posting a 3.31 ERA over 32.2 innings with a standout 51 strikeouts. That swing-and-miss ability jumps immediately since he’s averaging well over a strikeout per inning and has already flashed double-digit strikeout upside, including an 11-K outing in his season debut. Even when he’s taken losses, the stuff has still played, with multiple starts of 9+ strikeouts keeping him competitive.