Washington Nationals agree to terms with Cade Cavalli

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms on a four-year contract, including one club option, with right-handed pitcher Cade Cavalli on Friday. The contract begins in 2027 and runs through the 2030 season with a club option for the 2031 season. Nationals President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni made the announcement.

Cavalli, 28, is 12-5 with a 3.12 ERA, 194 strikeouts and a .233 opponents’ average in 31 starts this season. He ranks in the top 10 in the National League in starts (2^nd, 31), strikeouts (4^th, 194), strikeouts per 9.0 innings (4^th, 10.60), ERA (8^th, 3.12), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8^th, 4.04), WHIP (9^th, 1.17) and opponents’ average (10^th, .233). He has recorded five games of at least 10 strikeouts, tied for fifth-most in Major League Baseball.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Cade with us for the long haul,” said Paul Toboni. “We’ve seen firsthand the work he’s put in, the challenges he’s overcome and the way he continues to grow as a pitcher, a person and a leader. Our organization has tremendous belief in Cade, and, more importantly, we’re incredibly proud to have him represent the Washington Nationals for years to come. We’re so excited to watch the next chapter of his career unfold here with us.”

“We are thrilled that Cade and his family will remain part of the Washington Nationals for years to come,” said Managing Principal Owner Mark D. Lerner. “Since we drafted Cade in 2020, we’ve been continually impressed with who he is as a baseball player and as a human being. He’s shown that he not only has the talent to excel as a Major Leaguer, but he also possesses the high character and leadership qualities that make him a beloved member of our clubhouse and in the community.”

Cavalli has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 29 of his 31 starts this season, the best mark among Major League starters, ahead of the New York Yankees’ Cam Schlitter (28), Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski (27) and Cleveland’s Parker Messick (27). He trails only Max Scherzer (30, 2018) for the most such outings in Nationals history (2005-pres.).

One of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball since the All-Star break, Cavalli is 7-1 with a 2.05 ERA (15 ER/66.0 IP) and a .184 opponents' average over his last 11 starts. He ranks in Major League Baseball in strikeouts (T5^th, 84), ERA (5^th, 2.05) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (6^th, 11.45) and opponents’ batting average (7^th, .184) during this stretch dating back July 17.

Some highlights of Cavalli’s breakout 2026 season include:

• Facing the Chicago Cubs on March 26 in his first career Opening Day start, Cavalli allowed two earned runs on three hits with five strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.
• Back-to-back 10-strikeout games on April 23 vs. Atlanta and April 29 at New York (NL). He combined to strike out 20 batters and issued just two walks between the two starts.
• A career-high 13 strikeouts in 7.0 innings of one-hit ball on June 30 at Boston. He allowed a leadoff double to start the game before retiring the next 21 batters he faced.
• A career-high 8.0 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts and just one hit allowed on Aug. 13 vs. Chicago (NL). In doing so, he joined Max Scherzer as the only two pitchers in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to record two or more games in a single season of at least 7.0 innings pitched, one hit or less and 10 or more strikeouts.
• Striking out 11 batters in 6.0 shutout innings in his next start on Aug. 19 at Texas. Between the two starts, he struck out 21 batters and allowed just four hits in 14.0 scoreless innings.

Cavalli made his Major League debut on Aug. 26, 2022 and returned to the Major League mound nearly three years later on Aug. 6, 2025 vs. the Athletics. He went 3-1 with a 4.25 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 10 starts (48.2 innings) through the end of the 2025 season.

Washington’s first-round pick (No. 22 overall) in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Oklahoma, Cavalli was named Washington’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year two consecutive years (2021-22). In 2021, he led all of Minor League Baseball with 175 strikeouts and a 0.33 home runs per innings pitched. He rose as high as the No. 2 prospect in Washington’s system and the No. 27 prospect in baseball in 2022, according to Baseball America.

-WSH-