-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
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.
Even now, Cavalli hasn’t necessarily earned the call-up. In 15 starts at Rochester, he owns a 6.09 ERA and 1.554 WHIP, having given up 27 earned runs over his last 27 innings. But Michael Soroka’s trade to the Cubs left an opening in the big league rotation, and at this point Cavalli is the only real viable choice for the Nationals.
What can be expected from a guy who turns 27 next week? His stuff has been good, headlined by a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and a sharp-breaking curveball. And he’s been throwing strikes, with 31 strikeouts and only nine walks during that 27-inning stretch that included so many runs crossing the plate.
One way or another, it’s time for the Nationals to find out once and for all what they have in Cavalli. If he can remain in the major league rotation the rest of the season, he could make 10 or so starts and finally have a body of work deep enough to make some real evaluations.
The Nats have all kinds of rotation questions heading into 2026. Despite his recent woes, MacKenzie Gore is entrenched as the ace (unless the full-time general manager explores a trade this winter). Jake Irvin should be part of the equation, with Brad Lord and Mitchell Parker probably still needing to prove something over the final two months to retain their spots. Josiah Gray will be returning from his own Tommy John surgery and, if healthy, should be in the Opening Day rotation plans.
Point is, there’s room for Cavalli if he makes a strong case for himself down the stretch.
For five years, the Nationals have hoped the hard-throwing righty would be a long-term anchor of their rotation. At long last, they’re about to learn if he’s finally ready to realize his promise.
