The Washington Nationals will look to avoid a sweep today in the Bronx as they send RHP Cade Cavalli to the mound for his fifth start of the season. They will be a facing a former division rival in Max Fried, who is looking to continue his strong season. The Nationals have lost four of last five on this road trip, so they will certainly look to salvage this series and go home with a victory. More later in today’s Game Notes.

Last night was the Giancarlo Stanton show, as he got to first MacKenzie Gore and then Orlando Ribalta for all five of the Bronx Bombers’ runs, scorching a bases-loaded double off of Gore in the third after Gore had nibbled his way into a jam, and also blasting a Ribalta slider 451 feet with a man on in the sixth. Stanton might be approaching his 36th birthday in a few months and definitely is a slow-footed disaster on the bases and in the outfield (where he is playing right now because Aaron Judge has a UCL sprain and cannot). However, he still has the fastest bat speed in the majors and there are precious few hitters who can make your jaw drop like Stanton when he puts a charge into one. At the end of the night, it was Stanton 5, Nationals 1.

On Deck…

The Washington Nationals will have a day off on Thursday before opening a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night in Washington. The Nationals will send the struggling Mitchell Parker to the mound to face off against righty Adrian Houser.

In the hole…

The weekend series with Tampa Bay will continue on Saturday, with Jake Irvin facing a solid pitcher in Ryan Pepiot

Washington’s bullpen has pitched to a 2.03 ERA (6 ER/26.2 IP) and a .143 opponents' average with 28 strikeouts and 14 walks over the last seven games. They also allowed just one run throughout the entire series with the Phillies.

CJ Abrams is just three home runs away from having just the eighth Nationals season with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. He would be joining Ian Desmond as the only player to do it multiple times.

Cade Cavalli’s 2025 season has been an encouraging sign for the Nationals as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery. In four starts, the 26-year-old right-hander has posted a 2.82 ERA over 22.1 innings, going 1–0 with a WHIP of 1.34. While his strikeout rate (7.3 K/9) isn’t overpowering, Cavalli has shown good composure on the mound, limiting hard contact and keeping Washington in games. His 3.62 FIP suggests his results are backed up by solid underlying performance, and his walk rate of 2.4 per nine innings reflects improved command compared to his earlier big-league looks.

Perhaps most importantly, Cavalli has looked healthy and durable, completing at least five innings in each of his outings and displaying confidence in his full arsenal. His ability to mix pitches and generate ground balls (0.8 HR/9) has helped him avoid big innings, even when allowing baserunners. For a Nationals team looking to develop a young rotation around arms like MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin, Cavalli’s early 2025 performance signals that he could still be a long-term piece of their future. If he continues this trajectory, he has the potential to evolve into a reliable mid-rotation starter and a stabilizing presence for Washington. Today against the Yankees will be a great test.

The Nationals and Yankees have had a surprisingly even history against one another since Washington’s relocation in 2005, though the Yankees currently hold the slightest edge. Across 31 meetings through 2025, New York is 16–15 with a +15 run differential (132–117). The matchups have been defined by tight margins. Washington has taken series wins in 2006, 2009, 2015, 2023, and 2024, while the Yankees controlled things in 2012 and 2025. Overall, the Nats have hit just .232 with a .699 OPS against Yankees pitching, while New York has fared a bit better at .240 with a .737 OPS against Washington.

In 2025, however, the gap widened again as the Yankees took the first two games of the set, outscoring the Nats 15–6. That fits into New York’s larger season narrative: at 72–60, Aaron Boone’s club sits third in the AL East but remains a postseason contender, led by Aaron Judge’s 6.8 WAR season and a strong pitching staff (3.80 ERA, .580 expected win%). For the Nationals, the series underscored the difference between a young, still-rebuilding roster and a veteran-laden contender. Washington has shown it can compete in spurts against the Yankees historically, but New York’s 2025 sweep reasserted their edge in the all-time series, and the numbers show the Bronx Bombers’ ability to do just enough damage to stay a step ahead in this interleague rivalry.

Max Fried has built a reputation as one of the most consistent left-handers of his generation, and his track record against the Nationals reflects both his durability and occasional vulnerability. Over 22 career appearances (18 starts) versus Washington, Fried has gone 8–5 with a 3.97 ERA across 93 innings. He’s struck out 91 while walking just 23, generally keeping the Nationals’ lineup in check but allowing his share of baserunners (104 hits). Some of his best work has come more recently, including an eight-inning shutout performance in May 2024, though Washington has also gotten to him, most notably with 11 hits and four runs in a September 2024 start.

Individually, several Nationals hitters have had success against him. CJ Abrams boasts a .400 average with a homer in 10 plate appearances, while youngsters Dylan Crews and James Wood have each started 2-for-3 off him, signaling a potential changing of the guard in this matchup. Josh Bell historically did well, slashing .304 with extra-base hits, while Luis García Jr. has been steady but unspectacular at .267. On the flip side, players like Jacob Young (0-for-6), Paul DeJong (0-for-5), and Drew Millas (0-for-2) have struggled to make an impact.

In the broader scope of his career, Fried’s 2025 campaign with the Yankees has reaffirmed his status as a frontline arm. At age 31, he’s 13–5 with a 3.14 ERA in 26 starts, earning yet another All-Star nod. His overall profile—career ERA+ of 130 in 2025, elite command (2.3 BB/9), and a steady strikeout rate (8.6 K/9) proves his value as a dependable top-of-the-rotation presence. Against Washington specifically, he’s been tough, but the Nationals’ emerging core seems to be finding ways to adjust to him, suggesting this matchup could be a fun one this afternoon.

Day: 28-22 | Night: 44-38 | Home Record: 40-28 | Road Record: 32-32

A.L. Teams: 47-38 | N.L. Teams: 25-22 | N.L. East: 8-9