Nationals Notebook: Using an opener to close out the series
The Washington Nationals were staring at a possible sweep by San Francisco on Sunday, with a somewhat shaky Miles Mikolas lined up to pitch. Instead, they turned to an increasingly familiar strategy.
Washington used an opener in PJ Poulin, who delivered two-thirds of a scoreless inning before handing things off to Mikolas and Andrew Alvarez. Mikolas struck out four over four innings, while Alvarez added five strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings, as the Nationals shut out the Giants 3-0 to avoid the sweep.
The opener concept is hardly new, often used by teams such as Tampa Bay, where manager Blake Butera previously worked in the front office.
The last time the Nationals used an opener was in the 2019 season, but one of the innovations set in motion by Butera this year has been a modernized pitching setup designed to better maximize the back end of the rotation. The approach mirrors other lineup adjustments, including batting power hitter James Wood at the top of the order.
Digesting the Division: Atlanta improved to 15-7 and took a five-game lead in the National League East, after sweeping Philadelphia over the weekend. Austin Riley homered twice and drove in six runs during the series.
Miami, at 10-12, is tied with Washington for second place. The Marlins’ pitching staff has held opponents to the third-lowest batting average in the majors, but once runners reach base, they have often scored. Miami’s team ERA ranks 18th.
Philadelphia fell to 8-13 and has lost four straight series. Against Atlanta, the Phillies left 22 runners on base and went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
The New York Mets have dropped to last place at 7-15, fueled by an 11-game losing streak in which they have been outscored 62-19.
O’s Woes: Baltimore, at 10-2, slipped from a tie atop the American League East to third place after losing five of seven games. The Orioles benefited early from a soft schedule, not facing a team with a winning 2025 record until last weekend, when they dropped three of four games in Cleveland. The road trip continues in Kansas City before Boston visits Baltimore this Friday.
Diamond King: C.J. Abrams has been primarily a leadoff hitter in his time with Washington, but his move to the middle of the lineup this year has paid major early dividends. Last week the shortstop hit .318 with two homers and three RBI.
Last Week’s Heroes: James Wood scored a team-high six runs, while Jose Tena heated up at the plate, hitting .545. Jake Irvin allowed two runs over five innings, and Gus Varland and Orlando Ribalta each notched saves.
Last Week’s Humbled: Zach Littell had two rough starts, allowing 11 runs over nine innings (no math needed for his ERA). Jackson Rutledge surrendered seven runs in just 1 1/3 innings (47.25 ERA), while Cade Cavalli allowed five runs over 5 1/3 innings. Curtis Mead hit .105 at the plate, while James Young batted .182.
Game to Watch: The Nationals host National League East-leading Atlanta on Tuesday. Chris Sale already posted four wins for the Braves, but Blake Elder who owns the best ERA in the rotation at 0.77. Washington counters with Foster Griffin, who is 2-0 with a 3.05 ERA.