Nationals Cade Cavalli Seeks Third Straight Win to Bolster Case for Next Season

Cavalli made his last two starts against the Miami Marlins. He pitched five innings in both games. He gave up two earned runs in both games. He also allowed a combined 10 hits and two walks, along with seven strikeouts. His pitch count in both games was 75 on Sept. 2 and 61 on Sept. 8. After topping out at 95 pitches on Aug. 22 against Philadelphia, he bottomed out against the New York Yankees on Aug. 27.

In that start, he went just 2.1 innings and threw 76 pitches. He allowed eight hits, seven earned runs and one walk with four strikeouts. Since then, he’s been much sharper.

In the minors earlier this season he also had his pitch count monitored, with the idea that he would be promoted to the Majors at some point. Before his call-up, he was 4-7 with a 5.35 ERA in 17 starts, with 79 strikeouts and 30 walks in 74 innings.

His future in D.C. is clear. With MacKenzie Gore as the clear No. 1 starter, Washington is already working to assemble its rotation for 2026, and it starts with who is under contract or team control. Trevor Williams has another year on his two-year contract, which is worth $7 million in 2026.

The rest of the current rotation is all under team control, including Cavalli — Jake Irvin, Brad Lord and Andrew Alvarez. All six should be back in Nationals spring training, assuming new leadership doesn’t make moves this offseason, or bring in more experienced players via free agency or trade.

As it stands now, Cavalli has a place in next year’s rotation. He shouldn’t have any pitch limits next season, as this is his first full season of pitching after Tommy John surgery. He’s poised to become the pitcher the Nationals hoped he would be when he was selected out of Oklahoma in 2020.