‘It depends how we define success’: Nats’ September in review

Entering September well out of playoff contention, the Nationals were more interested in matters such as letting a couple of September call ups show their skills and bringing back a trio of injured pitchers. Entering the month with a 66–74 record, the Nats went 11–11 and ended the season with a 77–85 record, 11 games ahead of their 2025 record. For the second consecutive month, the team’s vaunted offense that had led the league in runs scored during the first four months of the season scored fewer runs than the average team. The pitching—especially from the bullpen—continued to be a weakness.

September began with the Nats hosting the division-leading Braves for a two-game series at home, concluding a homestand that had already featured a pair of four-game series against the Rockies and the Marlins. The Nats won the first game, 9 to 5, behind starring roles by two Nats players making their major league debuts, Yohandy Morales, who had three hits including a home run and a double, and Jared Simpson, who pitched three perfect innings in relief and was credited with the win. But they were shut out in the second game 9 to 0, despite the Braves starter, Grant Holmes, getting knocked out after 3 innings by an hour-and-a-half rain delay. The Nats finished their homestand with a 6–4 record.

Their next road trip took them to Southern California. In Los Angeles they faced the Dodgers who held first place in the NL West. The Nats lost the first game of the three-game series. In the second game, the Nats were ahead 4 to 2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning but surrendered three runs to fall behind. They scored one in the top of the eighth to tie it but gave up another run in the bottom of the inning and lost, 6 to 5. In game three, the bullpen imploded again. The Nats led 5 to 4 going into to the bottom of the eighth, but the bullpen allowed 3 runs to score (tying the record for most blown saves in a season with 37), and the Nats lost the game 7 to 5, giving the Dodgers a series sweep.

The Nats next went to San Diego where they played a three-game series against the Padres, who were just a half game behind in the race for the third wildcard spot. In the first game, the Nats were held to five hits and lost the game 3 to 2. In the second game, the Nats led 4 to 1 going into the bottom of the eighth but then gave up four runs for a 5 to 4 loss and a record-setting 38th blown save. They slipped into fifth place in the NL East standings. They lost the third game, 9 to 2, getting swept in their second consecutive series, and giving them a 0–6 record on the road trip and seven consecutive losses.

Back home, they opened their homestand with a three-game series against the Angels. In the first game, they were behind 2 to 1 going into the bottom of the eighth but rallied to score three runs and take the lead, winning the game 4 to 3 and giving them a rare come-from-behind victory. The second game featured another blown save, albeit with a different outcome. After seven innings, the Nats led 4 to 0, but they then allowed three runs in the top of the eighth and two more in the top of ninth to fall behind. But this time they scored one in the bottom of the ninth and, after holding the Angels scoreless in the top of the tenth, plated a walk-off run in the bottom of the tenth to win 6 to 5. The third game also featured a back-and-forth battle in the eighth and ninth innings with the Nats again coming from behind to win 6 to 5 (though this time in nine innings). The Nats had swept the series, coming from behind in all three games to win each by a one-run margin.

The homestand concluded with a two-game series against the Phillies, who were tied for the first wild card. The first game was tied 3 to 3 after the top of the seventh inning, then the Nats scored three in the bottom of the inning off a Daylen Lile pinch-hit home run for a 6 to 3 win. After four consecutive wins, the Nats moved back into possession of fourth place in the NL East. In the second game, the Nats were shut out 3 to 0 as Zack Wheeler pitched seven scoreless innings, limiting the Nats to four hits. With the series split against the Phils, the Nats finished their homestand with a 4–1 record.

The next road trip began with a three-game series against the Cardinals in St. Louis. The series began with the Nats grabbing a 9–1 blowout victory. Cade Cavalli got his 200th strikeout for the season, and CJ Abrams became the second National (after Alfonso Soriano) to join the 30–30 club (30 home runs and 30 stolen bases). The second game featured another blown save, as the Nats—ahead 3 to 0 after six innings—gave up two runs in the bottom of the seventh and another in the bottom of the ninth to tie it 3–3. Each team scored a run in the tenth inning, then in the top of the eleventh the Nats plated four runs, allowing them to win 8 to 5. In the third game, there was another blown save—their 42nd and final one of the season—as the Nats, ahead 3 to 2 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, allowed three runs to score for a 5 to 3 loss. The Nats won the series two games to one.

The road trip concluded with a three-game series against the Tigers in Detroit. The Nats lost the first game 9 to 2. The second game was tied 1 to 1 after six innings, then the Nats scored two in the top of the seventh and the bullpen held the lead to win 3 to 1. They also won the third game, giving them series win and a 4–2 record for the road trip.

The season concluded with a three-game series at Nationals Park. The Nats held on to eke out a win the first game 7 to 6. They lost the second game but won the finale, played in rainy conditions, with the bullpen contributing six scoreless innings to nail down a 6 to 4 win. The Nats finished the season with a 77–85 record—an 11-game improvement compared with last season—placing them in fourth place in the NL East and tied for 10th among the 15 NL teams.

A final bit of trivia—I’m pretty sure that the Nats didn’t have a single game postponed or rescheduled due to weather this season, which I suspect hasn’t happened for quite a few years. Yes, we had plenty of rain delays, but not a single game was postponed to be played as a doubleheader or rescheduled for late in the season. It made for a pretty relaxed schedule in September, with only 22 games played in the 27 calendar days before the regular season ended on September 27.

Roster moves:

On September 1, the 24-year-old right-handed hitter Yohandy (YoYo) Morales made his major league debut. The Nationals drafted Morales out of the University of Miami in the second round of the 2023 draft. At Rochester this season, he hit .286/.363/.519 with 25 home runs and 76 RBI in 104 games. In the minors he split his time between third base and first base, but with the Nationals he has played first base and DH. In his first major league game, he went 3 for 5 with a double and a home run.

The same day, 26-year-old left-handed relief pitcher Jared Simpson made his major league debut. The Nats drafted Simpson out of the University of Iowa in the eighth round of the 2023 draft. In 44 games (including 10 starts) between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester this season, Simpson had a 2.30 ERA, 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings, and 5.8 walks per nine innings. In his first major league game, he pitched three scoreless innings without surrendering a hit or walk and was credited with the win.

On September 4, 27-year-old right-handed relief pitcher Jack Sinclair made his major league debut. The Nats drafted Sinclair out of the University of Central Florida in the 16th round of the 2021 draft. In 52 games at Rochester this season, he had a 4.03 ERA, 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings, and 4.8 walks per nine innings. In his debut, he pitched one inning, striking out Max Muncy and retiring the side.

On September 26, 24-year-old left-handed starting pitcher Connelly Early made his debut with the Nationals. A fifth-round pick by the Red Sox from the University of Virginia in the 2023 draft, he made 21 starts for Boston in 2025 and the first half of 2026 with an 8–7 record, 122 strikeouts and 38 walks in 111 innings, a 3.24 ERA, and a 1.23 WHIP. The Nats acquired Early on July 26 as the return in the Curtis Mead trade, but he had been on the injured list since July 1 with left elbow inflammation. Early started the game and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

On September 18, Cade Cavalli signed a four-year contract extension with the Nationals (covering three arbitration years and one year of free agency) that guarantees him $47 million and also includes a club option for a fifth year (2031). That evening, he celebrated by pitching five scoreless innings against the Cardinals and recording his 200th strikeout for the season.

Orlando Ribalta went on the 15-day injured list for the last three weeks of the season with right-forearm inflammation. Matt Waldron went on the 60-day injured list with chest inflammation.

Several players made returns from the injured list. On September 2, James Wood was activated after nearly a month on the injured list for an oblique strain. He may have returned too soon, as he struggled at the plate during his first three weeks back. On September 12, Richard Lovelady was activated after two and a half months on the 60-day injured list with a left triceps strain.

On September 18, Josiah Gray returned to the mound for the Nationals for the first time since April 4, 2024, ending an extended recovery from Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure in July 2024, which was followed by forearm inflammation this spring that kept him from pitching for another four months. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning to finish a 9 to 1 victory. Including the next two relief appearances he made before the end of the season, he pitched four scoreless innings and recorded his first career save in a 7–6 win over the Mets.

On September 21, DJ Herz made his return to the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2025. His return this season was delayed when he experienced a right flexor strain in June, but he finally made it back two years after his last major league start.

On September 21, the Nationals released Cole Henry. Over the 2025 and 2026 seasons, Henry appeared in 68 games for the Nats, going 1–4 with 67 strikeouts and 39 walks in 66⅓ innings, a 5.02 ERA, and a 1.49 WHIP.

Record:

11–11 (.500)

Pythagorean Record:

10–12 (4.32 R/G – 4.91 RA/G)

September MVP:

• Cade Cavalli (1–0, 2.12 RA/9, 3 GS, 17 IP, 12.2 K/9, 0.76 WHIP, 3.58 RE24, 0.7 RA9-WAR, 0.6 fWAR)

Position player of the month

• Andrés Chaparro (.308/.368/.577, 4 HR, 6 R, 6 RBI, 57 PA, 157 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR). It took two home runs in the final game of the season for him to pull ahead of a crowded field for this award.

Bullpen pitcher of the month:

• Riley Cornelio (1–1, 2.70 RA/9, 7 G, 16⅔ IP, 10.8 K/9, 1.08 WHIP, 6.51 RE24, 2 shutdowns, 2 meltdowns, 0.5 RA9-WAR, 0.4 fWAR). Three of Cornelio’s seven games this month were starts, but my policy for this category is to treat openers as part of the bullpen.

Worst month:

• Abimelec Ortiz (.122/.159/.171, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 44 PA, –23 wRC+, –0.6 fWAR)

Best start:

• Andrew Alvarez (September 12, 6–5 win over the Angels in 10 innings at home) pitched 7 scoreless innings, giving up 1 hit and 4 walks while striking out 8 for a game score of 79. He left the game with the Nats ahead 4–0, but the bullpen had a blown save, so Alvarez didn’t get credited with the win, which came in the 10th inning.

Worst start:

• Jackson Kent (September 9, 9–2 loss to the Padres in San Diego) gave up 5 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk in 3 innings with 2 strikeouts for a game score of 24.

Tough loss:

• None

Cheap win:

• None

Biggest shutdown:

• Jack Sinclair (September 12, 6–5 win over the Angels in 10 innings at home). Sinclair got called into the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, immediately after Will Dion had blown the save and let the Angels take a 5–4 lead. Sinclair got the third out on a groundout. The Nats scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings, and Sinclair took the mound again in the top of the tenth. After walking the first batter, he got a ground ball to force out the runner at second, leaving runners at first and third with one out. He got the next batter to strike out and got the third out on a groundout to third base, leaving the score tied. (Win probability added/WPA +.324). The Nats scored in the bottom of the 10th for a walk-off win, and Sinclair was credited with his first major league win.

Worst meltdown:

• Will Dion (September 12, 6–5 win over the Angels in 10 innings at home). In the top of the ninth inning with a 4–3 lead, Dion got the call to lock down a win. He walked the first batter he faced, then gave up a double to Denzer Guzman that tied the game. Then, after getting a groundout for the first out, he threw a wild pitch that advanced the runner to third. The next batter, Moisés Ballesteros, hit a long sacrifice fly to left field, surrendering the lead to the Angels. (WPA –.635) After that Jack Sinclair was called in to get the third out. The Nats scored a run to tie it in the bottom of the ninth and another in the bottom of the tenth for the win.

Walk off:

• Harry Ford and CJ Abrams (September 12, 6–5 win over the Angels in 10 innings at home). When Ford came to bat in the bottom of the 10th inning, there was one out and runners on first and second, and the score was tied 5 to 5. The runners, CJ Abrams and Daylen Lile, pulled off a double steal. Then Ford hit a groundball to the Angels shortstop, Zach Neto, and Neto muffed it, allowing Abrams to score the walk-off run. (WPA +.153)

Clutch hit:

• Daylen Lile (September 13, 6–5 win over the Angels at home). The Nats were trailing 4 to 2 in the bottom of the eighth when Lile came to bat with no outs and Yohandy Morales on first. Lile launched a ball off the wall in the right-center field gap for a triple, driving in Morales. (WPA +.329) With additional RBI hits from Jorbit Vivas, Jacob Young, and Dylan Crews, the Nats scored four runs in the innings and took a 6 to 4 lead.

Choke:

• CJ Abrams (September 5, 6–5 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles). With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, the Nats had runners on second and third but were trailing 6 to 5 when Abrams came to bat to face Tanner Scott. Scott won the battle, striking out Abrams to end the game. (WPA –.202)

Memorable fielding plays:

• Dylan Crews makes a 3-star catch then doubles up a base runner while preventing a run from scoring.
• Brady House makes a leaping catch to get the final out.
• Dylan Crews makes a 5-star catch leaping against the wall to steal extra bases from Jordan Walker.
• Jorbit Vivas and CJ Abrams turn a great double play to get out of a bases-loaded jam.

Leaderboard:

The following Nationals players ended the season ranked among the top ten players in the National League in the specified statistical categories (top five in fielding categories). I also indicate where any player is ranked first in MLB.

• James Wood – third in on-base percentage (.388), sixth in slugging percentage (.503), second in on-base plus slugging (.891), second in runs scored (106), tied for ninth in home runs (30), third in bases on balls (102), sixth in strikeouts (179), second in adjusted OPS+ (144), third in runs created (111), second in offensive winning percentage (.715), third in intentional bases on balls (10), seventh in power-speed number (24.7), 10th in AB per home run (17.1), sixth in isolated power (.238), second in weighted on-base average (wOBA) (.383), third in weighted runs created, wRC+ (142), first in walk percentage (16.4%), eighth in strikeout percentage (28.7%), sixth in win probability added (2.90), fourth in RE24 (34.96)
• CJ Abrams – 10th in slugging percentage (.497), tied for seventh in total bases (288), seventh in home runs (33), fourth in runs batted in (106), tied for fourth in stolen bases (34), tied for ninth in runs created (102), fifth in extra base hits (67), tied for ninth in hit by pitch (12), 10th in stolen base percentage (85.0%), second in power-speed number (33.5), ninth in isolated power (.237), fourth in win probability added (2.99), third in errors committed (20)
• Daylen Lile – tied for eighth in games played (160), tied for fifth in triples (8)
• Nasim Nuñez – first in stolen bases (MLB) (49), tied for third in sacrifice hits (9), tied for third in caught stealing (10), fifth in assists (385)
• Keibert Ruiz – third in stolen bases allowed as catcher (66)
• Cade Cavalli – 10th in Baseball-Reference pitcher WAR (3.7), ninth in Fangraphs pitcher WAR (3.9), eighth in earned run average (3.02), tied for 10th in wins (13), sixth in win-loss percentage (.722), ninth in WHIP (1.16), 10th in hits per nine innings (7.85), ninth in bases on balls per nine innings (2.55), fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.61), tied for fourth in strikeouts (200), tied for fourth in games started (32), eighth in ratio of strikeouts to bases on balls (4.17), eighth in home runs per nine innings (0.95), tied for second in hit by pitch (16), eighth in adjusted ERA+ (142), fifth in fielding independent pitching (3.25), fifth in strikeout percentage (28.3%), eighth in bases on balls percentage (6.8%)
• Clayton Beeter – first in wild pitches (tied for first in MLB) (12)