Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Quality start in no-decision
Rotowire
Cavalli came away with a no-decision in Friday's 5-4 win over the Phillies, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four.
It wasn't quite as impressive an effort from Cavalli as in his last trip to the mound, when he fired seven shutout innings, but the right-hander held a dangerous Philly offense mostly in check for a second straight meeting. Cavalli tossed 64 of 95 pitches for strikes in his second career quality start, and over four outings in August he sports a 2.82 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 18:6 K:BB in 22.1 innings. He'll look to keep rolling in his next start, which lines up to come on the road next week against another fearsome foe in the Yankees.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Blanks Philly for first career win
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Cavalli (1-0) picked up the win in Saturday's 2-0 victory over the Phillies, allowing seven hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out five without walking a batter.
It's been a long road back to the big leagues for Cavalli after he made his debut for the Nationals in 2022 and then dealt with serious arm issues, but Saturday he looked like the potential future ace the club thought it was getting when he was selected 22nd overall in the 2020 Draft. Cavalli racked up 32 called or swinging strikes among his 90 pitches (63 total strikes), and he topped out at 99.7 mph on a first-inning sinker to Bryce Harper while still sitting comfortably in 97-98 mph range against the final batter he faced, Edmundo Sosa. Through three starts since his promotion in early August, the 27-year-old righty has a 2.20 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 14:4 K:BB over 16.1 innings as he stakes a claim to a 2026 rotation spot. He lines up to make his next trip to the mound on the road next weekend in a rematch with the Phillies.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Coughs up four runs Monday
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Cavalli conceded four runs on seven hits and three walks over five frames while not factoring into the decision in Monday's 7-4 loss at Kansas City. He struck out three.
The 26-year-old looked to be relatively in control through the first five innings in this 88-pitch appearance, giving up two runs on three hits in the second. Cavalli was then unable to retire a batter in the sixth and ultimately chased by a Salvador Perez two-run homer. Through 9.1 frames this season, Cavalli has allowed four runs on 10 hits and four walks while punching out nine. The Washington righty currently lines up for a difficult matchup in his next start, scheduled to come at home against Philadelphia this weekend.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Receiving another start
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Cavalli is slated to start Monday's game against the Royals in Kansas City, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
The 26-year-old right-hander will make his second straight turn through the rotation after he enjoyed an impressive return to the big leagues last Wednesday in what was his first MLB appearance since Aug. 26, 2022. Cavalli took a no-decision in his start against the Athletics, striking out six batters while allowing three hits and one walk over 4.1 scoreless innings. Despite Cavalli's excellent outing, fantasy managers may want to tread carefully with the rookie in what shapes up as a two-start week, with a second start likely to come during this weekend's series against the Phillies. Before rejoining the big club last week, Cavalli had logged an unremarkable 6.09 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 65 innings at Triple-A Rochester for the season, though he had posted a 14:0 K:BB in his final two starts prior to his call-up.
Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Impressive in season debut
Rotowire
Cavalli didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Athletics, allowing three hits and one walk in 4.1 scoreless innings. He struck out six.
Making his first big-league appearance since 2022, Cavalli showcased plenty of swing-and-miss stuff in the form of 19 whiffs during an impressive season debut. The right-hander touched 99 mph with his fastball three times as he fired 88 pitches Wednesday, so he appears ready to handle a full starter's workload for his next scheduled appearance in Kansas City. With Michael Soroka having been traded away, Cavalli is looking to maintain a starting role in Washington's rotation the rest of the way.
The Nationals recalled Cavalli from Triple-A Rochester ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Athletics in Washington.
Cavalli will return to an MLB mound for the first time since Aug. 26, 2022, after he underwent Tommy John surgery the following spring and then struggled to regain form in the minors upon completing his recovery from the procedure. The right-hander looked sharper over his last four starts with Rochester -- he produced a 5.75 ERA and 1.52 WHIP but a sparkling 25:6 K:BB in 20.1 innings -- and could now get the chance to stake a permanent claim to a spot in the big-league rotation after the Nationals shipped Michael Soroka to the Cubs last week. Cavalli gets a tough draw Wednesday, taking on an Athletics squad that has produced a 107 wRC+ versus righties this season while also pitching at one of the more favorable MLB venues for hitters in Nationals Park.
The Nationals will recall Cavalli from Triple-A Rochester to start Wednesday's game versus the Athletics, Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan Washington reports.
Cavalli is set to make his first start in the big leagues since August 2022, after the right-hander encountered some setbacks following his March 2023 Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old has collected a 9.00 ERA over his last six starts with Rochester, but a 31:9 K:BB over 27 frames during that time offers more promise. He should get an opportunity to hold down a rotation spot with the Nationals for the rest of the season.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Could join rotation in June
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Cavalli has allowed two runs in nine innings with a 13:2 K:BB over his last two starts for Triple-A Rochester, and he could be called up to join the Nationals' rotation at some point in June, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
The organization wants to make sure Cavalli will be able to handle a regular turn before promoting him, but he's begun to do exactly that at Rochester, building up to 71 pitches (43 strikes) in his most recent start May 22. The 26-year-old right-hander pitched just 8.1 innings combined in 2023 and 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he appears to be healthy now, sitting in the mid-90s with his fastball while mixing in a curveball and changeup. Mitchell Parker is also struggling for the Nats, posting an 8.46 ERA over his last six starts, and if he's unable to turn things around soon, it would provide a clear opening for Cavalli to see his first big-league action since 2022.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Activated and optioned
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The Nationals reinstated Cavalli (elbow) from the 15-day injured list Sunday and optioned him to Triple-A Rochester.
After making his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2022, Cavalli had been limited to just 8.1 minor-league innings over the past two seasons while recovering from March 2023 Tommy John surgery. He reported healthy to spring training but was brought along slowly before being cleared to begin a rehab assignment April 19. Cavalli will stick around with Rochester and should continue to make regular turns through the rotation. He's expected to get another look in the big leagues later this season.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Back on mound Friday
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Cavalli (elbow) will get the start for Triple-A Rochester on Friday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Cavalli exited his last start April 29 due to fatigue and skipped his next turn, but he was never completely shut down from throwing and has been cleared to resume his rehab assignment. Coming back from Tommy John surgery, Cavalli has allowed three runs with a 9:4 K:BB across 11 innings in three rehab outings. The Nationals said at the start of spring training that they didn't expect Cavalli to be an option for their rotation until the second half of the season, so the righty will likely be optioned to Rochester once his rehab stint is over.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Skipping next rehab start
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Cavalli (elbow) will skip his next rehab start with Triple-A Rochester after exiting his last outing Tuesday with fatigue, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Cavalli will throw a pair of bullpen sessions in between starts instead, and the Nationals are not viewing this as a significant setback. Coming back from Tommy John surgery, Cavalli has allowed three runs with a 9:4 K:BB across 11 innings covering three rehab starts.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Exits rehab start with fatigue
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Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that Cavalli (elbow) was pulled from his rehab start with Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday due to fatigue, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Rizzo did not seem overly concerned, noting that Cavalli was touching 98 miles per hour with his fastball during the outing. The right-hander allowed three runs over two innings in the start, throwing 37 pitches. It's not clear whether Cavalli -- who is coming back from March 2023 Tommy John surgery -- will be ready for his next rehab start or will need to be pushed back in the pitching schedule.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Strong rehab outing
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Cavalli (elbow) threw five shutout innings while allowing two hits and one walk with four strikeouts across five innings with Double-A Harrisburg on Thursday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Cavalli has had a long recovery from Tommy John surgery, which included some time dealing with a dead arm last summer, but he has looked good through two rehab outings. He ramped up to 69 pitches Thursday, 43 of which went for strikes. Cavalli will likely remain on the injured list until mid-May but will continue to build up in the minors.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Moves rehab to Double-A
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Cavalli (elbow) will make his next rehab start Thursday with Double-A Harrisburg, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Cavalli will get a tougher test for his second outing in the minors after he reported to Single-A Fredericksburg for the beginning of his rehab assignment and struck out three batters over four scoreless innings during his lone outing with the affiliate last Saturday. The right-hander was out for most of the previous two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery and also missed time last summer while going through a "dead arm" phase, so the Nationals will likely keep him on his rehab assignment for the entire 30-day window. Washington doesn't appear to have a rotation spot available for Cavalli at the big-league level, so the 26-year-old will likely be optioned to Triple-A Rochester once he's activated from the 15-day injured list.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Could be month away from return
Rotowire
Cavalli (elbow) worked up to 35 pitches in a simulated game last Tuesday, and the Nationals will have him go through a normal spring training progression over the next month before determining whether he's ready to come off the injured list, Bobby Blanco of MASN Sports reports.
"We don't want to rush things and get back to the point where we're hurting. So it's just going to be a really good build up," Cavalli said Friday while visiting the team's clubhouse during a series in Miami. "Hopefully, everything keeps responding how it is. I know they have a great plan. The staff is unbelievable and they have it set up to where I can get back fully healthy, ready to go help the club." Cavalli hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022 due to Tommy John surgery performed in March 2023, but the Nats are hoping the 26-year-old right-hander can be a factor in the big-league rotation at some point in the second half this season.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Makes rehab start
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Cavalli (elbow) threw two innings in a Florida Complex League game Wednesday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Per Nationals manager Dave Roberts, Cavalli was sitting in the 94-to-97 mph range with his fastball in what was his first rehab appearance of the season. Cavalli is nearly two years removed from Tommy John surgery, having been delayed last year as he went through a "dead arm" phase. The Nationals will manage the righty's workload in the first half, with the goal of having him join the rotation at some point after the All-Star break.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Placed on injured list
Rotowire
The Nationals placed Cavalli (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday, retroactive to March 24.
The right-hander is nearing the final stages of his rehab from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in May 2023, with a period of "dead arm" last summer delaying his return. Cavalli's last significant action came at Triple-A Rochester in 2022, when he had a 3.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 104:39 K:BB across 97 innings.
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