Nationals struggle with pitching as season nears halfway point
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 27, 2026, 9:03 PM
Last updated Jun 27, 2026
The Washington Nationals face pitching issues as they drop below.500 for the first time in 24 days. They managed just one run against the Phillies on Friday, with shortstop CJ Abrams recording three strikeouts. Entering Saturday's game, the Nationals have a bullpen ERA of 5.02, one of the worst in the league. The team acquired Justin Lawrence and replaced Gus Varland with Zak Kent in an effort to improve their struggling pitching staff. Foster Griffin is set to start Saturday night amid these challenges.
- •Nationals fall under.500 for the first time in 24 days.
- •Team allows 15 runs in the ninth inning against the Phillies.
- •Bullpen posts a 5.02 ERA, ranking among the worst in MLB.
- •CJ Abrams and James Wood both contribute with multi-strikeout games.
- •Foster Griffin expected to start Saturday to address pitching woes.
- 9:03 PMYahoo Sports — Lack of Offseason Focus Turns into Season Issue for Nationals
"The lack of offseason attention on the pitching staff has proven to be the source of problems for the Washington Nationals in 2026
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