Nationals starter uses a neuromuscular machine as part of an extensive routine after his return from Tommy John surgery.
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It’s early afternoon in the Washington Nationals’ clubhouse, and starting pitcher Cade Cavalli is in motion in an otherwise quiet room. He’s sitting in his chair in front of his corner locker. Then he’s standing, then back to sitting before getting up on his feet again, this time twisting from side to side.
No, it’s not some kind of new dance. Cavalli uses a neuromuscular machine as part of the extensive routine he’s developed over the past year following a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery. It’s made a huge difference, he said, as he hopes to complete his first full professional season since 2021, a year before reaching the majors.
Cavalli entered the weekend with a 3.86 ERA in 11 starts.
“I love it,” he said. “It’s helped me prepare for each start, and I feel really healthy going into it.”
Neuromuscular machines, such as the NeuX machine Cavalli has, use electrical impulses to trigger muscle contractions. They look similar to TENS machines, and both have electrode pads placed on the skin, but TENS machines are used to relieve pain, whereas neuromuscular machines help with activation, strength training and recovery.
It’s not a new concept — both machines have been around for decades — but the way Cavalli uses it is. Plenty of players, including his own teammates, use neuromuscular machines on their arms as part of their activation routine. Cavalli, however, uses it on his entire body.
He first used the machine in 2017, when he was experiencing back pain during his senior year of high school. With his draft prospects on the line, he needed a way to get back on the mound as quickly as possible. His father’s co-worker recommended an ARPwave System, another type of neuromuscular machine. Cavalli tried it and instantly felt relief.
“By the end of the session, my back had, like, no pain, palms were on the floor,” he said. “It was incredible.”
Cavalli was drafted by the Braves in the 29th round in 2017 but opted to play for the University of Oklahoma instead. He was drafted again three years later, this time by the Nationals with the 22nd overall pick.
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He made his MLB debut in 2022. But shoulder inflammation ended his rookie season after just one start, and a sprained ulnar collateral ligament the next spring led to Tommy John surgery and meant a minimum of another 12 months on the injured list. As he made his way back to the mound in 2024, a bad case of the flu and dead arm delayed his progress even more.
In 2025, he was finally healthy and making his way back to the majors. But as he threw rehab starts, his body wasn’t feeling great. Pitching takes a toll on the entire body, and his body, after so long away from the mound, wasn’t adjusting well to the strain.
While rehabbing with Class AA Harrisburg, he ran into Michael Soroka, who was pitching there as he recovered from a bicep strain. Cavalli noticed that Soroka was using an ARPwave System, just like he had eight years prior. But Soroka, unlike Cavalli, was placing pads all over his body.
Soroka swore by the benefits, and Cavalli, wanting to do anything to keep his progress moving forward, asked his medical team whether they thought a similar tactic would help him. They devised a 40-minute routine that targets his entire body from the balls of his feet to the back of his neck. The routine, which he keeps in the notes app of his iPhone, includes changing the frequency and intensity of the machine while moving his body to target different muscles.
Cavalli uses the routine after he plays catch on the first three days following his starts. The machine, combined with his normal recovery routine, has made a major difference for him, he said.
It’s showing in his pitching, too, as he’s been able to go longer in games. He pitched a career-high seven innings in his last start and has pitched into the fifth inning or later six times.
“The length of his outings the last couple of times has been huge,” Manager Blake Butera said. “Seems like each outing is getting better and better.”
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