An opener, a veteran starter entering the game in the second inning, a starting prospect making his Major League debut as a reliever and a postgame roster move. The Nationals' pitcher usage on Friday was a snapshot of their approach this year.
The Nats tabbed lefty PJ Poulin to open for the fourth time already this season. First-year manager Blake Butera has found a successful equation with Poulin facing the top of the order.
After allowing a leadoff single to Everson Pereira, Poulin retired the next three batters -- including striking out the hot-hitting Munetaka Murakami -- for a scoreless first inning.
Poulin recorded two quick outs in the second frame, before he hit Sam Antonacci with a first-pitch sinker. That prompted Butera to make the call for Miles Mikolas.
“I thought Miles threw the ball really well and got us pretty deep into that game,” Butera told Nats Journal’s Mark Zuckerman after the Nationals’ 5-4 loss.
Coming off of his best start of the season in which his ERA dropped into single digits, Mikolas delivered 3 2/3 innings to keep the Nats in it. He allowed four hits, two runs and a solo homer to Murakami, while recording one strikeout. This was Mikolas’ first outing without issuing a walk this season.
“I had good fastball command, filled up the zone, a lot of strikes, no walks,” Mikolas told Zuckerman. “I felt good in my delivery. I’m pretty happy with it.”
After recording a 12.41 ERA in his first three starts, Mikolas has a 4.09 ERA in his last three appearances following an opener.
“Whether it’s a third of an inning, eight innings, nine innings, one innings, two innings, outs are out,” Mikolas said. “My job is to get outs -- as many as I can.”
The Nationals called on southpaw Richard Lovelady in the sixth inning with Murakami coming to the plate. Lovelady threw two-thirds of a frame to set the stage for Riley Cornelio’s debut in the seventh.
Cornelio, the Nationals' 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, was called up on Friday from Triple-A Rochester. He had been a starter his entire career, including posting a 2.45 ERA in four starts with the Red Wings this season. While the Nats still view him as a starter, he was utilized out of the ‘pen for length on Friday.
Cornelio entered in a tight one-run game. In his first three batters faced, Cornelio issued two walks and committed a throwing error. Across two innings of work, he allowed three runs (two earned) off two hits and four walks with one strikeout.
“The stuff was awesome,” Butera said. “He was up to 98 [mph], slider was really good, he just had trouble throwing strikes tonight. Not an easy spot for him to get into. We knew we wanted to use him today after Miles. … Seventh inning, leadoff walk, crowd gets into it, it was a big spot, big moment. Riley’s going to be fine, he’ll be fine.”
Following the game, the Nationals optioned Cornelio back to Rochester. It was a similar approach they took on Sunday afternoon when they called up starting lefty Andrew Alvarez to pitch 4 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen behind Mikolas, and then optioned him to the Red Wings that evening.