Washington survives shaky relief to move within one game of Arizona for the last National League berth.
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To even this series against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Washington Nationals used patience. After waiting out a 1-hour 7-minute rain delay, the Nationals drew six walks in the first inning, scoring four runs on just one hit.
They kept that offensive momentum going and avoided what almost became another bullpen meltdown in an 8-6 victory at Nationals Park. The Nationals are one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third National League wild-card spot.
“A lot of highs and lows tonight,” Manager Blake Butera said. “Really good vibes in the clubhouse. Obviously we understand meaningful games going into late July and August. Each win just feels like it means more and more every time out.”
Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber hasn’t had the smoothest season — the former Cy Young winner spent the first three months on the injured list with elbow inflammation. Even so, he was coming off a start in which he allowed one run without a walk over seven innings.
On Tuesday, though, he struggled locating pitches, and Washington took full advantage. In the first inning, James Wood and Dylan Crews walked, and CJ Abrams legged out a soft groundball for an infield single that withstood a Toronto challenge. That loaded the bases with one out, and Keibert Ruiz and Daylen Lile also walked to bring in two runs.
Nasim Nuñez’s sacrifice fly made it 3-0, and after two more walks by Jorbit Vivas and Jacob Young, Bieber’s day was done after 42 pitches. It was the most walks in one inning since the Nationals started play in Washington.
“I thought they did a really good job, with Woody setting the tone there, of noticing that Bieber maybe didn’t have the command that he normally has,” Butera said. “They were really patient and waited for a really good pitch to hit, they weren’t trying to do too much, especially when we got bases loaded in that spot there.”
Cade Cavalli, meanwhile, pitched six innings for the fourth start in a row. He allowed three runs — one apiece in the third, fourth and fifth innings — but otherwise mitigated traffic without allowing any additional damage. Typically a strikeout pitcher, he had 10 groundball outs, a career high.
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“The sinker and the spin was working well tonight,” Cavalli said. “I guess we were getting a lot of groundballs and [the defense] was just making pays. I’m just super happy they were doing that and looking forward to capitalizing on that in the next start.”
The Nationals gave him more run support. After Young walked in the fourth inning, Luis García Jr. and Crews hit back-to-back home runs to make it 7-3. Young added a sacrifice fly an inning later.
Crews’s long ball came off right-hander CJ Van Eyk, an encouraging sign for him. The 24-year-old had struggled against righties this season, hitting just .174 vs. .338 against lefties. He has focused on swinging at the right pitches and sticking to the plan against righties.
But as has been the story of the 2026 Nationals, they couldn’t get through the game without a little bit of bullpen drama. Gus Varland, who was recalled from Class AAA Rochester on Tuesday afternoon, took the mound in the eighth inning, his first major league appearance in a month.
Before the game, Butera noted that it was the right time to bring back Varland after he showed an uptick in velocity and strikeouts while with Rochester. But his success didn’t translate to the majors — he gave up a three-run homer to George Springer and was removed without recording an out.
With the Nationals’ lead cut to 8-6, Orlando Ribalta took over. He struck out two batters and retired the side in the eighth, and Clayton Beeter pitched a clean ninth for his 11th save.
Note: The Nationals are planning to activate Trevor Williams on Wednesday, Butera said. Williams, who had an internal brace procedure in his right elbow last July, is expected to be used out of the bullpen.
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Varland was optioned after the game to clear a roster spot.
