Nationals Win Road Series Against Diamondbacks, Here's What Stood Out

The Washington Nationals headed out west on the heels of a series sweep against the Miami Marlins.

That team has been a thorn in their side all season long, as the Marlins have won both series against the Nationals with wins in five out of the six total games. But based on the way Washington looked in that divisional matchup, there was some concern when it came to how they might perform against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Nationals quickly put those concerns to bed, though. The offense exploded once again, and they secured wins in their first two contests to record a series victory over the Diamondbacks. And despite not being able to pull off a sweep in the desert, it was still a positive start to their six-game road trip. Here are three things that stood out from this set.

Offense Got Back on Track

Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Washington announced themselves with a bang on Friday. In the second at-bat of Game 1, Luis Garcia Jr. hit a two-run blast that started an avalanche of scoring throughout the night. The slugging first baseman later hit his first major league grand slam, as the Nationals won the opener by a score of 14-1.

In Game 2, there were more offensive fireworks early on. This time, it was Curtis Mead who hit a two-run blast in the second at-bat of the contest, as Washington went on to finish with six runs scored. Things were muted in the finale, as the Nationals plated just one run on a CJ Abrams solo homer. But across this matchup, they scored 21 total runs, which was a great sign for an offense that was quiet before they hit the road.

Cade Cavalli Can't Push Nationals to a Sweep

Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Perhaps the most disappointing part of this series was the fact that they couldn't secure the sweep on Sunday despite having their ace, Cade Cavalli, on the mound.

The right-hander has put together a solid season, as he entered this outing with a 3.62 ERA across his 13 previous starts. But Cavalli was tagged for a first-inning home run that put the Diamondbacks up by one, and then when the game was tied in the bottom of the fourth, he gave up back-to-back singles to begin the frame that allowed a run to score on a ground out to give Arizona a lead again. Then, in the next inning, he gave up a two-run homer that put the Diamondbacks up 4-1.

Through two starts in the month of June, Cavalli has given up six earned runs across 10 innings pitched. The 27-year-old has already exceeded the most innings he's ever thrown in the majors with 69 2/3 frames completed, so this is all uncharted territory for him.

How he performs going forward will be something to keep an eye on, and the fact he couldn't push his team to a sweep during his outing was a letdown.

Bullpen Was Dominant

Washington Nationals pitcher Orlando Ribalta | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images

The offense generated the storylines out in the desert with their performance, but the bullpen also quietly put together a dominant showing in this series as seven relievers pitched in this set and only one person gave up a run; rookie Riley Cornelio.

Here's how the relief staff performed:

-Paxton Schultz: 2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB
-Cole Henry: 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB
-Brad Lord: 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB
-Riley Cornelio: 2 IP, 1 ER, 1 K, 3 BB
-Orlando Ribalta: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 K, 1 BB
-Mitchell Parker: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB
-Gus Varland: 1 IP 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB

In total, that was 11 innings pitched with just one run allowed. They also struck out a combined six batters and walked four, with three out of those four base on balls coming from a rookie who was making his second career major league appearance.

The bullpen has had their issues throughout the 2026 campaign, but they've also had some bright spots at times, as well. This was one of those positive moments, and the hope is that will continue.

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