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Nationals Name Cade Cavalli Opening Day Starter for March 26 at Wrigley Park

The choice signals the club’s trust in his makeup following a long Tommy John comeback.

Overview

  • Manager Blake Butera publicly endorsed Cavalli as the rotation’s top option, praising his character and pitching.
  • The Opening Day assignment comes early in his career, with roughly 12 Major League starts following his Aug. 6, 2025 return after 1,076 days out.
  • He entered Wednesday with no earned runs and a .056 opponent average over two Grapefruit League starts, touching 98.6 mph with his fastball.
  • Hours after the announcement, he threw three no-hit innings against the Cardinals in spring action, striking out two.
  • Cavalli features an upper-90s fastball and curveball and has added a sweeper this spring to better counter right-handed hitters.