Last night was just an absolute caricature of the 2026 Nationals. They have so much heart and offensive firepower, but the pitching is so shaky. In the end, they came out on top, just barely in a 12-11 thriller. I have never seen such a disparity between a pitching staff and an offense in my life.
Usually, when one part of your team is so bad like the Nats pitching staff, the other side of the ball is not elite. That is not how things usually work, and there was actually a good article on Fangraphs
about this. The 2026 Nationals are not most teams though. They are a wacky, wonderful, hideously flawed bunch that we have all fallen in love with.
The Nats have scored the most runs in baseball, while being bottom 3 in runs allowed. That was on complete display from the jump against the Astros. It looked like this would be a beatdown early on, with Houston taking a quick 6-1 lead in the top of the 3rd inning. However, in peak 2026 Nationals fashion, the game was tied by the time the third inning was over.
Like the Nats have done so many times this year, they just blitzed the Astros. A 6-1 deficit turned into a 6-6 ballgame within five batters. CJ Abrams put the cherry on top of the rally with a 3-run homer to tie the game. That was a big and important swing for Abrams, who had been struggling recently. He made a statement today going 3 for 5 with that homer.
You can never take your eyes off this team because if you blink, you could miss five runs from either team on the field. There have been so many times this year in Nationals games where pitchers just can’t get outs at all. Sometimes it is Nats pitchers, other times it is the opposing team.
Last night we saw both sides of the coin. So many of these rallies just came from consecutive hits capped off by a homer. The Astros actually scored 10 of their 11 runs with two outs. That is a ridiculous stat, but it is also fitting for this Nats team. There have been too many times this year where the Nats are so close to getting out of a jam before getting their hearts broken with two outs or two strikes. Most of the Nats pitchers just don’t have the raw stuff to put guys away.
Thankfully for them, the Astros pitchers were overmatched against this fierce Nats offense. The Nats did most of their damage in just two innings, but they put up 11 runs in their pair of big innings. We talked about the third inning, but the fifth inning was the Nats other big frame.
Warning signs should have been ringing in the Astros dugout when Curtis Mead took Mike Burrows deep to start the inning. However, Burrows was allowed to face four more batters, only getting one out. He left with the bases loaded, but that was when the games began.
Drew Millas hit a sac fly before Nasim Nunez got an infield hit thanks to his elite speed. Nunez beating out that seemingly routine play ended up looming very large. James Wood was at the plate, and he was looking for his first out of the park grand slam. After he fouled off a high fastball, the Astros went back to the well again, and the Nats big slugger did not miss it. He walloped a 446 foot home run to make it a 12-6 game in the 5th inning.
For most teams a 12-6 lead should feel safe, but the 2026 Nationals are not most teams. After all, this group couldn’t hold an 8-1 lead in the 8th. The Astros got a run back in the 6th, but after a scoreless 7th by Cole Henry, things seemed to be under control.
However, this is where manager Blake Butera made a rookie mistake. He has made a habit of trying to extend relievers for multiple innings even if that is not really their strength. That is exactly what he did with Henry, and it backfired massively.
Cole Henry got sent down to Rochester in the beginning of June and made 10 appearances. The right hander did not throw more than one inning in any of those outings. In AAA, Henry had settled into a routine of being a one inning guy.
Butera tried to push Henry for a second inning, and it nearly cost them the game. Henry got the first out, but after a single and a walk, he was in trouble. Despite this, Butera stuck with Henry. The righty got a force out for the second out. However, that Astros two out magic showed up again. As his pitch count climbed into the 40’s, Henry allowed a double and a home run. Just like that, the game was 12-11.
Finally, Henry was pulled for Clayton Beeter, the Nats top high leverage arm. Beeter had a heroic performance, securing a four out save without allowing any baserunners. Clayton Beeter has his issues with control, but when he is on, he can be a dominant force as we saw last night. That was the game, the Nats secured a 12-11 win in the most 2026 Nationals way possible.
I hate to get on Blake Butera like this because he has done an outstanding job with this team. He has created a great culture and built a great staff. His lineup construction can be confusing at times, but it always feels like there is a method to the madness. However, he has to know his reliever’s limits. It should be clear by now that Cole Henry is not a multi-inning guy.
Butera has been dealt a very poor hand when it comes to the bullpen, but some of his decision making can be frustrating. Fans of every team second guess their manager’s bullpen decisions, but it feels like there are some correctable mistakes he keeps making. At the end of the day, the Nats are 47-45 and have an elite offense. If you told me that at the beginning of the season, I am not sure I would have believed you.
This team has so much heart and firepower, they just need pitching. Whether it is at the deadline or in the offseason, Paul Toboni has to address this pitching staff, the bullpen especially. This has been a great season so far, but hopefully this is just the beginning for this Nats core. To take the step from exciting young bunch to legitimate contender, the Nats need pitching, pitching and more pitching.
