NEW YORK — The Nationals head to the Bronx hoping to leave with at least one win in this series, relying on timely hitting and shutdown pitching to give them a chance against the Yankees on Sunday.
Pacing the game for Washington is Cade Cavalli, who has looked sharp since returning to the big leagues. The right-hander turned in back-to-back quality starts against the Phillies as he continues to settle back in, posting a 2.82 ERA over his first four appearances since his recall. The key for Cavalli will be keeping the ball in the park and limiting the big hits against a potent Yankees lineup.
Meanwhile, New York will counter with left-hander Max Fried, who is enjoying a strong first season in pinstripes. Fried is 13-5 with a 3.14 ERA through 26 starts and comes into the game after a six-inning, shutout performance against the Red Sox with seven strikeouts. In 19 career outings against Washington (18 starts), Fried is 8-5 with a 3.97 ERA.
NATIONALS vs. YANKEES
Where: Yankee Stadium
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB Network (out-of-market), MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 11 mph out to right field
NATIONALS lineups
LF James Wood
SS CJ Abrams
DH Riley Adams
2B Luis García Jr.
RF Dylan Crews
1B Andrés Chaparro
C Drew Millas
3B Brady House
CF Jacob Young
RHP Cade Cavalli
YANKEES lineups
CF Trent Grisham
1B Ben Rice
DH Aaron Judge
RF Cody Bellinger
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
LF Jasson Domínguez
SS Anthony Volpe
C Austin Wells
3B Ryan McMahon
LHP Max Fried
What to watch
– Fried’s mix of efficiency and strikeout ability will test Washington’s ability to manufacture runs. The Nationals will need to capitalize on any mistakes and diversify their scoring opportunities.
– Cavalli’s challenge is to limit the long ball against a Yankees lineup that features power from Judge and Bellinger and speed from Domínguez and Volpe. If he can keep the ball in the field of play, Washington’s offense has a chance to string together runs.
Summary
The game presents a classic matchup of a veteran left-hander in Fried seeking to ride momentum against a young pitcher in Cavalli who is finding his footing after a return to the majors. Washington will look for timely hitting and a solid start from Cavalli to keep the series alive on the road, while New York hopes Fried’s form continues to drive a strong performance at home.
Additional notes
– If Cavalli can spin a few back-to-back zeroes early, it could settle the Nationals into a better rhythm against a dangerous Yankee lineup.
– Washington’s lineup emphasizes speed and multi-position versatility up the middle, with Abrams and Wood looking to spark things at the top of the order.