There haven’t been a lot of things to get excited about recently involving the Nationals, so perhaps tonight’s game provides a long-awaited reason to feel better about the state of things. Cade Cavalli makes his return to the major leagues, nearly three years removed from his one and only major league start. It’s been a long road back from Tommy John surgery and inconsistent performances in the minors, and it’s not like the 26-year-old has been in peak form at Triple-A Rochester leading up to this one. But he's here regardless, and the hope is he’s here to stay at last.

What to watch for with Cavalli: Can he get outs on pitches in or near the strike zone? One criticism of him coming up through the minors was that he relied too much on getting opposing hitters to chase out of the zone. It’s much harder to get big league hitters to do that, so Cavalli needs to be precise with his command. The good news: Even though he was giving up hits at Triple-A, he was recording a good number of strikeouts while keeping his walk total low.

The Nats would love to provide their still-rookie starter with some run support. And that doesn’t mean ninth-inning run support with the team already trailing by a bunch. Early support to give him a lead to work with. Of course, at some point Miguel Cairo is still going to have to hand over the rest of the game to this bullpen. Who knows how that’s going to go?

ATHLETICS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 75 degrees, wind 8 mph in from right field

ATHLETICS
C Shea Langeliers
1B Nick Kurtz
DH Brent Rooker
RF JJ Bleday
LF Tyler Soderstrom
SS Darell Hernaiz
CF Lawrence Butler
3B Gio Urshela
2B Max Schuemann

Cade Cavalli’s major league debut was a major moment for a Nationals organization in need of something positive at the time. When they called up their 2020 first round pick on Aug. 26, 2022, they were reeling from the Juan Soto trade earlier that month and needed to showcase as many pieces of the club’s long-term plan as possible.

Who could have imagined it would take almost three years for the Nats to hand Cavalli the ball again in a big league game?

A minor shoulder ailment sidelined the right-hander the rest of the 2022 season after his shaky debut. He was poised to make the Opening Day rotation the following spring but then blew out his elbow in a mid-March start against the Mets, requiring Tommy John surgery. And he has spent every day since trying to make it back to the majors.

It finally happens tonight, with the Nationals planning to recall Cavalli from Triple-A Rochester, a move interim manager Miguel Cairo confirmed following Tuesday night’s loss. (Reliever Andry Lara was optioned to Rochester to clear a roster spot for him.)

It took Cavalli longer than hoped to fully recover from elbow ligament replacement surgery, but he’s been deemed healthy for several months now. Team officials were looking for a reason to promote him, but the right-hander couldn’t string together enough quality starts together to make it a no-brainer decision.

As the hits kept on coming, one after another, MacKenzie Gore stood on the mound with a look on his face that suggested anger, frustration and bewilderment all wrapped up in one.

The Nationals ace, an All-Star just a few weeks ago, the majors’ strikeout leader just a month ago, had faced six Athletics batters to open tonight’s game. Five of them had scored, all five of them having recorded base hits, two of them home runs.

Before having a chance to come up to bat themselves, the Nats already were well on their way to a 16-7 loss, yet another in a string of unsightly, lopsided August losses that have somehow made the disasters that were June and July look tame in comparison.

The Nationals have lost six in a row, the combined score of those games a jaw-dropping 70-26. They've lost the first four games of this homestand 54-20, and that doesn't tell the full story because 11 of the runs they've scored have come in the ninth inning of games that were already well out of hand.

"This is embarrassing," Gore said. "We shouldn't just try to act like nothing happened here. What has happened this homestand is not acceptable, no matter what happened last week. We're all better than this. This is embarrassing. We've got to not let it affect everybody. We've got to be able to come together as a group and get better. What happened this homestand, it's hard to watch."

The revolving door that has been the 2025 Nationals bullpen picked up two new passengers today when the club added Clayton Beeter and PJ Poulin to the major league roster, two recent acquisitions who are going to get a chance to contribute to a relief corps that needs all the help it can get.

After trading veterans Kyle Finnegan, Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia prior to last week’s deadline, the Nats were left with a highly inexperienced bullpen with only one member who had pitched in more than 45 big league games in his career (Jose A. Ferrer). That group was promptly battered around by the Brewers, surrendering 22 runs (19 earned) on 30 hits and nine walks across 14 1/3 innings during their weekend sweep, leading to the demotions of Ryan Loutos and Zach Brzykcy to Triple-A Rochester.

Enter Beeter (one of two prospects acquired from the Yankees for Amed Rosario) and Poulin (claimed off waivers from the Tigers on Sunday).

“I believe we need a lefty, and we just claimed (Poulin) off waivers,” interim manager Miguel Cairo said. “Beeter, he throws hard, good slider. And I’m looking forward to seeing how he matches up with big league hitters.”

Beeter, 26, has a little bit of major league experience, appearing in five games for the Yankees across the last two seasons. A second-round pick in 2020 from Texas Tech, he spent most of his minor league career as a starter before moving to the bullpen this season. In 18 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after time on the injured list with a shoulder impingement, he produced a 3.10 ERA, striking out 33 batters in only 20 1/3 innings (albeit with 16 walks issued in that same time frame).

The Nationals’ weekend series against the Brewers could not have gone any worse. Perhaps the arrival of the homeless Athletics this week will help turn things around. The A’s – who are playing in Sacramento for three seasons but are officially not allowed to be called by any city name for reasons unclear – come to town playing decent baseball, having gone 14-13 since July 1. And they’ve got one of the hottest hitters in baseball in rookie Nick Kurtz (1.420 OPS over his last 25 games).

So this is no cakewalk for MacKenzie Gore, who needs a bounceback performance after three straight shaky starts that included either six runs allowed or six batters walked. The left-hander has seen his ERA jump to 3.80, and his strikeout rate is down as well. Now that the tension of the trade deadline is behind him, the lefty needs to get himself locked in and finish out the season strong before it falls apart on him.

The Nationals have a couple of new arms in the bullpen tonight: They officially called up right-hander Clayton Beeter and left-hander PJ Poulin, optioning both Ryan Loutos and Zach Brzykcy to Triple-A Rochester. Don’t be surprised if one or both of the new guys is used in a high-leverage spot tonight if the situation arises.

ATHLETICS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 78 degrees, wind 7 mph out to left field

ATHLETICS
C Shea Langeliers
1B Nick Kurtz
DH Brent Rooker
CF JJ Bleday
RF Colby Thomas
SS Darell Hernaiz
LF Tyler Soderstrom
3B Gio Urshela
2B Max Schuemann

On the (admittedly short) list of things to look forward to over the remainder of the Nationals’ season, the return of Dylan Crews from the injured list and the return of Cade Cavalli to the major leagues have to rank right near the top.

It’s been a frustrating summer for both former first round picks, both of them sidelined longer than initially hoped. And in both cases, the delay in rejoining the Nats’ big league roster has been cause for consternation.

Crews, who suffered a left oblique strain way back on May 20, does appear to be close to coming off the 60-day IL at long last. But he’s not quite there yet.

The 23-year-old outfielder began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester one week ago, and by all accounts things have gone well for him since. He has played in five games (four as the Red Wings’ right fielder, one as their DH) and he’s gone 3-for-13 with a double, a homer, four RBIs, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, three strikeouts and a stolen base. The homer and the double both came in his most recent game Sunday in Charlotte.

The issue: Crews hasn’t played more than six innings in a game yet, so he hasn’t fully built himself back up to full game-shape yet. We should learn more today about his next steps, but it would make sense for him to continue playing for Rochester (which opens a series tonight at Norfolk) for at least a few more days. Then the Nationals would have to decide if he’s ready to join them on their next trip to San Francisco and Kansas City, or if he still needs more time.

It’s been a constant source of frustration throughout the season. No matter how poorly they’ve pitched, the Nationals have often had little choice but to stick with the staff they’ve got because of a lack of viable alternatives knocking on the door in the minors.

There have been a few moments along the way when the organization has made roster changes, from the early-season cutting of ties with struggling veterans Jorge López, Lucas Sims and Colin Poche, to the in-season additions of Andrew Chafin, Luis Garcia and Konnor Pilkington. But transactions have mostly been limited, because there simply haven’t been enough minor league pitchers worthy of promotion.

That’s what made this weekend’s lopsided sweep at the hands of the Brewers feel all the more hopeless. After interim general manager Mike DeBartolo traded Chafin, Luis Garcia and Kyle Finnegan prior to Thursday’s deadline, the bullpen that remained was beaten to a pulp by Milwaukee, combining to surrender 22 runs in only 14 1/3 innings over the last three days.

What recourse does DeBartolo even have at this point?

The Nationals did make one move following Sunday’s 14-3 loss, optioning right-hander Ryan Loutos (owner of a 12.00 ERA in 10 big league games with the club) to Triple-A Rochester. That still leaves six relievers on the active staff with an ERA over 5.00: Jose A. Ferrer, Orlando Ribalta, Andry Lara, Jackson Rutledge, Shinnosuke Ogasawara and Zach Brzykcy. The only two exceptions: Pilkington (1.42 ERA in seven games) and Cole Henry (3.86 ERA in 42 games).

The fear when the Nationals traded away their three most reliable relievers before Thursday’s deadline was what would remain in the bullpen for the final two months of an already-lost 2025 season. Interim general manager Mike DeBartolo was willing to take that chance, recognizing Kyle Finnegan, Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia weren’t going to be a part of the team’s 2026 roster, so he might as well get what he could for the three veterans now.

Those fears, though, were fully realized this weekend when the remnants of the Nats bullpen met the full extent of the Brewers lineup. It wasn’t pretty.

Today’s 14-3 thumping was merely the final blow in a series of blowouts. In getting swept by the team with the National League’s best record, the Nationals were outscored 38-14.

And the Nats weren’t just swept by the Brewers this weekend. They were swept in the season series, outscored 60-23 in six games that more than proved the chasm that currently exists between these two teams.

"That's what a winning team looks like," interim manager Miguel Cairo said of a Milwaukee club that's now 67-44. "They beat us, simple as that."

Miguel Cairo had already assembled his lineup for today’s series finale against the Brewers before learning Jacob Misiorowski was going on the 15-day injured list with a bruised left shin, forcing a change of pitching plans by Milwaukee.

Cairo’s response: No changes to his Nationals lineup. He already had a lefty-heavy group ready to go against Misiorowski, and he felt that same look would work just as well against replacement Logan Henderson.

That lineup had James Wood serving as designated hitter all along, and it also had Nathaniel Lowe on the bench, giving Josh Bell a rare opportunity to play first base.

“I want to give Wood a little break from the outfield and DH him,” Cairo explained. “J.B., it’s been a while since he played first. I want to give him some action at first base, too.”

This is among the dilemmas now confronting Cairo and the Nationals over the season’s final two months. Bell wasn’t among the veterans on expiring contracts dealt at Thursday’s trade deadline. He remains on the roster. And even though there are a number of younger players seeking major league experience, Bell (who has a robust .852 OPS over his last 49 games) is still going to get regular playing time.

The Nationals thought they were going to be trying to avoid not only a series sweep but a season sweep at the hands of the Brewers this afternoon by facing rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski. Turns out they won’t be facing Misiorowski, who was just placed on the 15-day injured list with a left tibia contusion (he was struck in the leg by a comebacker in his last outing). But before you get too excited, the replacement for The Miz is Logan Henderson, another rookie right-hander who in his first four career starts earlier this season went 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA, 29 strikeouts and only six walks. (Amazing what a difference organizational pitching depth can make, huh?)

So, the Nats still have their work cut out for them to produce offense today. They were held to two hits by Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers bullpen during Saturday’s 8-2 loss. That’s obviously not going to cut it today.

On the bright side, Brad Lord gets the ball for the home team, and that’s something to look forward to. The rookie right-hander has looked really good in his first two starts since returning from the bullpen a few weeks ago, allowing two runs over 9 1/3 innings (and throwing only 109 pitches in the process). He’ll be trying to build up to about 70-75 pitches today, so that could allow him to provide some length as well for a Nationals staff that could use it.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly sunny, 81 degrees, wind 7 mph in from right field

BREWERS
2B Brice Turang
C William Contreras
1B Andrew Vaughn
DH Christian Yelich
LF Isaac Collins
CF Blake Perkins
3B Anthony Seigler
RF Brandon Lockridge
SS Joey Ortiz

The post-trade-deadline portion of the 2025 Nationals season began tonight with a dud that neither offered much new hope for an August bounceback nor answered one of the great unknown questions now confronting this team: Who’s the closer now?

Interim manager Miguel Cairo chose to keep that information private when asked this afternoon, promising we’ll all find out together the next time the Nats take a lead into the ninth inning. It certainly didn’t happen tonight during a 16-9 thumping at the hands of the Brewers that felt like it was decided by the middle of the third, with the home team scoring five runs in the ninth to make it look a bit closer.

Mitchell Parker was battered around by the same Milwaukee lineup that put a hurting on him earlier this month at American Family Field, the left-hander charged with eight runs on 12 hits in four-plus innings.

That left the remnants of a Nationals bullpen that lost its three most reliable arms in the last 48 hours to cobble together five innings before this game could be completed. The four relievers who pitched tonight collectively gave up eight runs of their own to turn this one into a complete laugher (aside from those in the crowd of 25,194 who booed during the later innings).

The 25 hits allowed by the Nats shattered the previous club record of 22, set on five different occasions over the last two decades.

The Nationals filled the four roster holes that opened up over the final 36 hours leading into the trade deadline with four players from Triple-A who already were on the organization’s 40-man roster.

The Nats recalled outfielder Robert Hassell III, left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara and right-handers Orlando Ribalta and Ryan Loutos from Rochester, adding all four to the active roster before tonight’s series opener against the Brewers.

Hassell replaces Alex Call, who was traded to the Dodgers on Thursday for two minor league pitchers. The 23-year-old (a key acquisition in the 2022 blockbuster Juan Soto deal) makes his second big league stint after batting .218 with one homer, eight RBIs and a .497 OPS in 21 games in late May and early June. He returned to form once back at Triple-A, batting .336 with six homers, 25 RBIs and a .954 OPS in 33 games.

“Everything worked well for me,” he said of his recent performance. “I’m happy to be back.”

Hassell joins an already crowded Nationals outfield that currently features James Wood, Jacob Young and Daylen Lile and should get Dylan Crews back soon. (Crews, who made his rehab debut with Rochester on Tuesday, is off tonight but is scheduled to play six innings for the Red Wings both Saturday and Sunday as he gets back into shape more than two months after suffering an oblique strain.)

The Nationals who take the field tonight against the Brewers are going to look quite different from the Nationals who last took the field here more than a week ago. Six players were traded prior to the July 31 deadline, including arguably their three most reliable relievers. What remains is going to have to exceed expectations over the season’s final two months to avoid a complete collapse.

And the initial challenge is about as tough as it’s going to get, with the best-in-baseball Brewers in town this weekend. The Nats already were swept earlier this month in Milwaukee. They’ll hope for better results this time around, with Mitchell Parker on the mound for the series opener. Parker was roughed up by the Brewers last time, giving up seven runs (six of them coming in the third inning alone).

A Nationals lineup that actually remains intact – only bench players Amed Rosario and Alex Call wound up getting dealt – will try to get something going against Milwaukee starter Jose Quintana. The veteran lefty is doing what he always does, owner of a 3.50 ERA and 1.336 WHIP in 15 starts to date. He’s not flashy, but he gets the job done.

Reminder: Tonight’s game is only on Apple TV+. It’ll be Alex Faust, Ryan Spilborghs and Tricia Whitaker on the call.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Apple TV+
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 8 mph in from center field

After a frantic final 48 hours, the dust has settled and the trade deadline has passed. The Nationals had their most active late-July since 2021, with interim general manager Mike DeBartolo making five deals involving six veterans traded away for 10 prospects in return. They didn’t make any earth-shattering moves, but swap out a sizeable group of players who didn’t figure into the club’s long-term plans for a larger group of young players who could some day.

Now, what’s left after all that? A host of questions that still need answering. Which we’ll attempt to do right here in our morning-after explainer …

WHY DIDN’T THEY TRADE JOSH BELL OR PAUL DEJONG?
Because, quite frankly, there weren’t any takers. DeBartolo said he attempted to make deals that would have given both veterans an opportunity to play on contenders before becoming free agents, but “ultimately nothing came together.” So while the five other vets on expiring contracts (Kyle Finnegan, Michael Soroka, Amed Rosario, Andrew Chafin, Luis Garcia) did get traded, Bell and DeJong did not and remain with the club as the calendar shifts to August.

HOW SERIOUS WERE THEY ABOUT TRADING MACKENZIE GORE?
Obviously, not serious enough to actually pull the trigger on what would’ve been the team’s biggest deadline deal since the blockbuster that brough Gore to D.C. in the first place three years ago. DeBartolo said two weeks ago he would listen to any offers that came his way from other clubs, but he viewed the 26-year-old lefty as a key part of their core group of young players they’re ultimately trying to win with. And he stayed true to his word. Though there were calls from a number of interested parties, none was willing to meet the exceptionally high price DeBartolo established for his ace. So Gore remains a National.

DID ALEX CALL REALLY FETCH THE BEST PROSPECT RETURN OF ANYONE?
Based on MLB Pipeline’s rankings, yes. The two players the Dodgers sent in exchange for Call (right-handers Sean Paul Liñan and Eriq Swan) now rate as the Nationals’ 10th and 12th best prospects, with the two players they acquired from the Cubs for Soroka (outfielder Christian Franklin, shortstop Ronny Cruz) each one notch below in spots No. 11 and 13. How did that happen? Well, DeBartolo sold high on Call, who over the last two seasons produced a solid .297/.388/.432 slash line across 350 plate appearances in a part-time role. He also comes with a whopping four remaining years of club control and two minor league options as well. That’s probably why L.A. was willing to give up a couple of decent prospects in return.

The Nationals made only two more deals before this evening's trade deadline passed, sending Kyle Finnegan to the Tigers and Alex Call to the Dodgers, ultimately choosing to retain two veterans on expiring contracts and a host of players under club control headlined by MacKenzie Gore.

The 6 p.m. deadline passed with no last-minute moves, according to a club source. The Nats listened to offers for Gore and explored deals for Josh Bell and Paul DeJong but did not find any that met their demands.

Thus was interim general manager Mike DeBartolo more active on the days leading up to July 31 than he was on the actual deadline day. The Nationals dealt four veterans (Amed Rosario, Andrew Chafin, Luis Garcia, Michael Soroka) set to become free agents over the last week. They then wrapped up the late-July feeding frenzy with two moves this afternoon. They received 10 prospects total in return, six of them pitchers.

"I feel excited about what we did the last few days, getting some really exciting young players to bolster our farm system," DeBartolo said. "At a high level, we were just looking at the roster, taking opportunities where whatever was in the long-term best interests of the Nationals, and getting as many young players as we could to get back to where we want to be next year and beyond."

The Nats traded Finnegan to the Tigers for two starting pitching prospects drafted last year, dealing their veteran closer to a contender after passing on comparable opportunities to do so the last two seasons. The trade sends the 33-year-old reliever to Detroit for right-handers Josh Randall and R.J. Sales.

It’s hard to imagine any trade deadline that approaches the Nationals’ 2021 trade deadline in terms of both volume and significant names. Over those wild 36 hours, former general manager Mike Rizzo made six deals involving eight veterans in exchange for 12 prospects, kickstarting an organizational rebuild that still continues to this day.

Mike DeBartolo probably won’t match his predecessor, but as Major League Baseball’s official deadline day arrives, the interim GM is already showing a willingness to be exceptionally active.

It began Saturday night when the Nationals dealt infielder Amed Rosario to the Yankees for minor leaguers Clayton Beeter and Browm Martinez. It continued Wednesday afternoon when they sent relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia together to the Angels for left-hander Jake Eder and first baseman Sam Brown. And it didn’t let up Wednesday night when (with the team still en route home from Houston to D.C.) Michael Soroka was traded to the Cubs for infielder Ronny Cruz and outfielder Christian Franklin (both top-15-ranked prospects in Chicago’s farm system).

All this before the actual deadline day, which figures to be plenty active in its own right.

DeBartolo has now dealt four of the team’s seven veterans on expiring contracts. He’s still got Kyle Finnegan, Josh Bell and Paul DeJong on the docket before the 6 p.m. deadline.

HOUSTON – The Nationals’ final ballgame before the 2025 trade deadline offered a stark reminder why they’re in full-scale sell mode for the fifth straight year.

Despite the presence of their ace on the mound and an unaccomplished rookie starting for the opposition, the Nats were roughed up by the Astros during a 9-1 blowout loss that saw MacKenzie Gore’s recent struggles continue and interim manager Miguel Cairo get ejected for the first time.

Gore, whose name has emerged as a potential trade candidate – more so by contenders interested in acquiring an All-Star lefty with two-plus years of club control than by the Nationals themselves – this month, endured through his third consecutive shaky outing, this one bringing out some negative emotions from the 26-year-old.

Gore was charged with six runs in 5 1/3 innings, surrendering a pair of homers while also seeing his command go awry at times. He has now allowed 15 runs while walking 10 batters over his last 12 2/3 innings, during which time his ERA has jumped from 3.02 to 3.80.

Whether any potentially interested contenders view these recent struggles as reason to reduce their offers to interim general manager Mike DeBartolo in advance of Thursday night’s trade deadline remains to be seen. Either way, Gore unquestionably is now mired in the worst stretch of an otherwise fantastic season.

HOUSTON – The Nationals traded two more veterans on one-year deals prior to today’s series finale against the Astros, sending relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis García together to the Angels in exchange for two minor leaguers.

The trade, which was officially announced minutes before today’s game, sends two experienced bullpen arms acquired in-season to an Angels club trying to get into the American League wild card race and brings minor league left-hander Jake Eder and first baseman Sam Brown to the Nationals organization.

With roughly 28 hours to go until Thursday’s 6 p.m. Eastern trade deadline, interim general manager Mike DeBartolo is expected to be busy. He already dealt infielder Amed Rosario to the Yankees following Saturday night’s game in Minnesota, and he’s still shopping three more veterans on expiring contracts in Kyle Finnegan, Josh Bell and Paul DeJong. DeBartolo also appears willing to listen to offers for players who remain under club control beyond this season, including first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and staff ace MacKenzie Gore, who starts this afternoon against Houston.

Chafin and García both were mid-season pickups by the Nationals, who desperately needed bullpen help at the time. Chafin, 35, joined the club in early May and wound up posting a 2.70 ERA in 26 appearances facing mostly left-handed hitters. García, 38, just joined the club three weeks ago as DeBartolo’s first official acquisition after replacing longtime GM Mike Rizzo and immediately paid dividends with only one run allowed in 10 appearances.

Given their rental status, Chafin and García did not bring back a significant haul, but both Eder and Brown give the Nats young players who could ultimately develop into big leaguers.

HOUSTON – We have reached the final day of this road trip and the final game before the trade deadline. As things currently stand, the Nationals have made only one move this week, sending Amed Rosario to the Yankees after Saturday night’s game in Minnesota. Be prepared for a lot more activity between now and 6 p.m. Thursday.

In the meantime, there’s a game to be played this afternoon against the Astros, and the Nats have a chance to win their third straight series if they can beat the Astros. They’ve got their ace on the mound for what should be a fascinating start. Is this MacKenzie Gore’s final outing before a trade? How will Miguel Cairo manage this start with that in mind, pulling him early to avoid risk of injury or struggles or letting him go to give everything he’s got? Where is Gore’s mind right now as he prepares to take the mound?

A Nationals lineup that has struck out a whopping 33 times through the first two games of this series will look to make more contact today against Houston starter Ryan Gusto. The 26-year-old rookie has bounced back and forth between the rotation and bullpen, making 13 starts and 10 relief appearances and compiling a 5.18 ERA and 1.475 WHIP. He was roughed up by the Athletics last time out to the tune of eight runs in only 3 1/3 innings.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 2:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Paul DeJong
RF Daylen Lile
C Drew Millas
CF Jacob Young

HOUSTON – Michael Soroka took the mound tonight knowing there was a good chance it would be his final start for the Nationals, knowing the better he pitched, the more attractive he might make himself to any interested contenders.

He then found out that’s easier said than done, especially when the opposing lineup makes you work as much as the Astros did.

Unable to complete four innings for the first time this season due to a high pitch count, Soroka didn’t figure in the decision in the Nats’ eventual 7-4 loss. The bullpen was charged with the final five runs, turning a once-tied game into a relatively comfortable victory for Houston.

But the spotlight tonight was squarely on Soroka, who took the mound less than 48 hours before the trade deadline and once again turned in a start that included a combination of positive and negative developments.

Houston’s hitters put up a massive fight from the get-go, battling tough pitches and prolonging at-bats. Their first four batters saw a combined 28 pitches, and a whopping 13 of those were fouled off. Cam Smith then got a pitch he could do something with and sent it down the right field line for an RBI double and a 1-0 lead.