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The Washington Nationals finally found their next ace with Cade Cavalli

The Washington Nationals have finally found their long-awaited ace in Cade Cavalli, a 27-year-old pitcher who has transformed from a high-potential prospect into the team’s dominant frontline starter. Drafted in the first round out of Oklahoma in 2020, Cavalli’s career was derailed by Tommy John surgery in 2023, forcing him to miss an entire season and limiting him to just 8.1 innings in 2024.

Despite early struggles in the majors—including a slow start to 2025 with a 4.25 ERA—his electric fastball (averaging 97 mph) and sharp curveball hinted at his untapped potential. That potential exploded after a breakout June 30th performance against the Red Sox, where he struck out 13 batters in seven innings, including a career-high 25 whiffs, before a bench-clearing incident overshadowed his dominance.

Since that start, Cavalli has gone 9-1 with a 2.08 ERA over his final 15 appearances, silencing early doubts and cementing his role as the Nationals’ new ace after years of searching for a replacement for Max Scherzer, who departed in 2021.

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