WASHINGTON – Zack Littell had not downplayed his disappointment with his recent performances. He was frustrated and wanted to do better for his new team. But the earned runs had ballooned to 18 over his last three starts, and he led the league in homers allowed.
He pitched the bounceback outing he was looking for on Sunday afternoon in the Nationals’ 3-2 victory over the Brewers.
“To be honest with you, I haven't not felt settled in any of the games,” Littell said. “I think that there's maybe a little bit more of an ‘eff it’ attitude, an ‘it can't get any worse’ type of thing. That sounds terrible, but I think there's something to be said for that as well, just going out there and not feeling like there’s anything to lose.”
Littell pitched 3 2/3 innings out of the bullpen following lefty opener PJ Poulin, a strategy manager Blake Butera has implemented five times this season for matchups. Poulin kept Milwaukee off the board for Littell to enter in the third.
Littell allowed just one hit, one run, one walk and recorded one strikeout. He faced 13 batters and threw 41 pitches (23 strikes). Littell earned his first win of the season.
“I think he just did a really good job of living on the edges, not really leaving pitches over the middle of the plate,” said manager Blake Butera. “Also, he was ahead a ton. He threw a bunch of strikes, which he always does, but I think he did a really good job of missing barrels by not missing over the heart of the plate.”
Littell had surrendered three home runs to the Brewers on April 12, which contributed to his league-high 13 homers. The furthest-hit ball he gave up on Sunday was a Statcast-projected 382-foot sacrifice fly to Joey Ortiz. It would have been a homer at only Wrigley Field.
“[The difference today was] three less home runs,” Littell said in jest. “No, I mean, I think slowly but surely, trying to get back to what I do well, and that's use the splitter a good bit, attack guys, try to make guys uncomfortable with the tempo of the game and the overwhelming amount of strikes. We're not quite there yet, but that's the path we're trying to get on.”
The 30-year-old right-hander had been looking for answers to a frustrating start this season. He entered Sunday 0-4 with a 7.85 ERA. He had given up eight runs (all earned) in four innings against the Giants on April 17, eight runs (six earned) in six innings against the Braves on April 22, and eight runs (four earned) at Citi Field against the Mets on April 28. Opponents slashed .365/.408/.778 during that stretch.
Littell avoided joining Albie Lopez of the 2001 Devil Rays as the only pitcher in the past century to allow eight-plus runs in four straight starts.
“I feel like they had a pretty short leash with him today,” said Brandon Lockridge, who got the only hit off Littell, a bunt ground ball to third base. “I was swinging away early and then swung through one sinker. Then [I] kind of switched my mind to, 'OK, maybe I can lay a bunt down here with the running sinkers in on my hands.' That was kind of my approach there."
The Nationals have maintained support of Littell in his ninth Major League season. Littell signed a one-year, $7 million contract with Washington on March 10 during Spring Training to join the starting rotation. He is coming off a 2025 performance with the Rays and Reds in which he went 10-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 32 starts.
“I thought he was tremendous,” said Richard Lovelady, who earned the save. “... I’ve seen him when he was with the Rays – the guy’s a great pitcher. Just because you have a couple struggling starts to start the year, it’s not going to define who you are for the season.”