"Cade Cavalli and Foster Griffin ( other than his May 14 blow-up) have paved the way as the Nationals' best in the pitching category. Cavalli stands strong enough with a 4.02 ERA, and Griffin surprises many with a team-best 2.12 ERA among starters. Where criticism is warranted is among the 3 bottom pitchers in the Nationals' rotation. Miles Mikolas is struggling mightily to a 7.00 ERA, while Zack Littell is much of the same with his 6.94 ERA, and Jake Irvin struggles with a 5.91 ERA. Pitching struggles in D.C. are all too familiar, and it begs the question: Is there any pitcher who is the 'next man up'?"
"Before the season, there was a lot of optimism that Lord may be a starter in 2026. Last season, Brad Lord played in 48 games and started 19 of them. In that time, Lord went out and posted a 4.34 ERA with a 1.2 WAR. His Statcast page shows elite form in ground ball rate (49.0%) and barrel rate (7.1%). Lord is commended for having great command, and while leading his pitching arsenal with a 48% four-seam fastball, he dominates as a soft-contact pitcher. Given Lord's 2026 results out of the Nationals' bullpen, he may be a candidate No. 1 to get a starting nod."
"In 2026, Lord has played 13 games while fielding a 3.21 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 59.6% ground-ball rate (top-3% in MLB), and a 5.0% walk rate (top-7% in MLB). He does so while averaging just over 2 IP per appearance as a longer-relief option. It seems like Lord's day may come sooner or later. The issue at hand is the free agency signings the Nationals made. Mikolas was signed to a 1-year, $2.25M deal, and Littell was signed to a 1-year, $7M contact."
The Nationals sit about a quarter of the way through the 2026 season with a 21-23 record as of May 14. Cade Cavalli has a 4.02 ERA, and Foster Griffin has a 2.12 ERA among starters, providing major pitching bright spots. The rotation’s lower end remains a weakness, with Miles Mikolas at a 7.00 ERA, Zack Littell at a 6.94 ERA, and Jake Irvin at a 5.91 ERA. Brad Lord has been a strong bullpen option, posting a 3.21 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 13 games with a 59.6% ground-ball rate and a 5.0% walk rate. Lord’s prior experience includes 19 starts in 48 games in 2025, and his ground-ball and soft-contact profile suggests he could be considered for a starting role, especially given the Nationals’ recent free-agent signings.
Read at District on Deck
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