With a 7-3 loss in the series opener, Washington fell to 4-9 when its Opening Day starter pitches.
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When the Washington Nationals named Cade Cavalli their Opening Day starter, it was because they believed he could set the tone for their rotation this season. And while he has been one of Washington’s best starters, the team hasn’t been able to put together wins with him on the mound.
Cavalli pitched into the sixth inning Monday at Nationals Park, and he left the field with the Miami Marlins down 3-1. By the end of the night, the Nationals would have a 7-3 loss. The Nationals have performed the worst with Cavalli on the mound than with any other starter — they are 4-9 in his turns.
“We fought hard,” Cavalli said. “We got in a groove there and had a chance to win the ballgame. We’re a really good club, and we’ll get back after it tomorrow.”
Monday’s result could have ended up disastrous had Cavalli not been able to rein in his fastball command after the first inning. Cavalli began the game by walking Liam Hicks, then gave up a single to Otto Lopez and another walk to Xavier Edwards. With the bases loaded and two outs, Cavalli walked Owen Caissie on a sinker that was originally called a strike but overturned after a challenge.
Cavalli realized in between innings that he was missing up with his four-seam fastball, which he landed for a strike just 6 of 12 times in the first. Making that adjustment allowed him to cruise through the next four frames, scattering three hits and striking out five batters.
“Really, it was more of a mental thing of not trying to hit the edges of the upper half and just get right back to competing in the zone and making them swing the bat,” Cavalli said.
Meanwhile, the Nationals’ offense provided some run support against Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara. In the second inning, Jacob Young continued swinging hard and slugged a two-run homer, his eighth of the year. An inning later, James Wood beat out a groundball to Lopez, advanced to second on the shortstop’s throwing error, moved to third on a groundout from Luis García Jr., and scored on a Curtis Mead single to make it 3-1.
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After punctuating the fifth by striking out Xavier Edwards on a sweeper, Cavalli walked off the mound with an extra pep in his step. He returned for the sixth inning but was quickly removed after giving up a single to Leo Jiménez.
With only two southpaws in the bullpen, Manager Blake Butera turned to Richard Lovelady to face a pocket of left-handed hitters. It didn’t pan out. The Marlins pinch-hit Owen Caissie for right-handed hitter Heriberto Hernández, who lined a game-tying homer to left. Lovelady then grazed Jakob Marsee with an inside fastball, and Connor Norby doubled to put the Marlins in front.
“It didn’t work out, but was fully planning on Hernández to pinch-hit there and still liked the matchup on him,” Butera said when explaining the decision to pull Cavalli for Lovelady. “We would have gotten into dangerous territory if we stuck with [Cavalli] the rest of that inning, and given the fact that it was a bunch of lefties in a row, that was, I thought, the time to do it.”
Alcantara pitched seven innings, keeping the Nationals off balance with his changeup and cutter. After Mead’s RBI, the Nationals had just three singles and a walk over the last six innings.
Miami added three more runs in the ninth off right-hander Cole Henry — a solo shot from Liam Hicks and a two-run homer from Kyle Stowers. This was just the second outing back for Henry, who missed more than a month with a right rotator cuff strain. The Nationals gave him an extended rehab stint in hopes he would return at the top of his game, but Monday’s result showed he still isn’t his sharpest yet.
“Lineups like this with an abundance of right-handed hitters are tough for him, especially being that lower-slot righty,” Butera said. “You try your best to find a spot to use him, but when there aren’t many right-handed hitters in this lineup it can be tough.”
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