WASHINGTON – Nationals hurler Cade Cavalli was in the midst of another electric start when it was cut short by a comebacker in the fourth inning during Washington's 5-4 walk-off win over Miami in 10 innings on Saturday at Nationals Park.
Cavalli was struck in the lower right leg area by a 93.1 mph comebacker from Javier Sanoja. Cavalli managed to retrieve the grounder and make an off-balance throw to first base for the third out of the fourth to keep his no-hit bid in check. But the 6-foot-4, 223-pound right-hander limped off the field and into the dugout.
The Nationals began warming up the bullpen shortly thereafter. Cavalli exited with right calf discomfort, the Nationals announced. Lefty Erik Tolman replaced Cavalli for the fifth inning.
Cavalli had been cruising with eight strikeouts in four frames, winning the pitching duel against Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara. He struck out the side in the first inning, pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, threw a 1-2-3 inning in the third, and recovered from a lead-off hit-by-pitch in the fourth to retire the next three batters.
Cavalli entered the game 4-1 with a 1.97 ERA and an 11.0 K/9 rate in five starts this month. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Cubs on Aug. 13.
“I expect him to give us everything he's got,” manager Blake Butera said pregame. “That's one thing that's never really changing with Cade.”
Cavalli, 28, was named the Nationals' Opening Day starter in the first full season of his Major League career. After debuting on Aug. 26, 2022, Cavalli missed nearly three years because of a series of injuries. He is 12-5 with a 3.12 ERA in 29 starts across 152 2/3 innings this season.