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Pair of Nationals Rookies Collected Career Firsts Against Phillies

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Washington Nationals don't have a ton to play for the rest of the season when it comes to their actual 2025 campaign, but the young players are looking to continue their development while they can also play spoiler in a tight National League playoff race.

Welcoming in the Philadelphia Phillies for a four-game divisional matchup that began on Thursday, the Nationals had a chance to make things difficult on their rivals when it came to closing out back-to-back NL East titles.

With the Phillies being a heavy favorite coming in, it was up to the young players on this roster to get up for this showdown.

Brad Lord set the tone for Washington.

He pitched another gem, allowing two earned runs in six innings pitched that gave his team a chance to win, something they were able to do with a seventh-inning rally where Jose Tena played hero by driving in the eventual game-winning runs with the bases loaded.

tena toes down pic.twitter.com/EzPW1EqurY
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 15, 2025

But with a potent Philadelphia lineup still ready to face Washington's poor bullpen, it was time for the relievers Miguel Cairo called upon to step up and deliver for the team.

And it was two guys in particular who did just that.

Facing the middle part of the order, Jose Ferrer got Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto to ground out before striking out Nick Castellanos to end the frame following a single by Harrison Bader.

With the closer now out of the mix, Cairo turned to Cole Henry to earn the save.

That's exactly what he did, working around a leadoff single before inducing a sacrifice bunt, a weak grounder to first and a strike out to end the game.

Two Nationals Rookies Record Career Firsts

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Henry earned the save for the first time in Major League Baseball. But he wasn't the only one who had a career first on Thursday.

What might have gone a bit under the radar in the grand scheme of things was the role Shinnosuke Ogasawara played.

In a 2-1 game in the top of the seventh inning, Cairo went to the Japanese international to face Kyle Schwarber with Trea Turner on first base. Ogasawara, who has had his struggles this season, got Schwarber out swinging with nasty breaking balls.

Because the Nationals took the lead in the very next frame, Ogasawara was credited with his first win in Major League Baseball.

❤️‍ pic.twitter.com/s5lfKeEwQd
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 15, 2025

These are the games and moments that are important for Washington going forward.

While they are going to finish with another disappointing record when it's all said and done, the experience of winning tight games against quality opponents is necessary to get out of their rebuild.

How they look the rest of the series will be determined, but this was a good start to their divisional matchup on their home field.