What is the Washington Nationals record in 2026?

The Washington Nationals are 73-83, 4th in the NL East.

Who is pitching for the Nationals today?

DJ Herz (TBD) vs River Ryan (TBD). First pitch at 06:40 PM EDT.

What channel is the Nationals game on today?

Today's game airs on Nationals.TV, Detroit SportsNet. First pitch at 06:40 PM EDT.

Washington Nationals News & Updates

September 21, 2026

The Washington Nationals were 73-83, 4th in the NL East. Yesterday, the Washington Nationals were outplayed by the St. Louis Cardinals 3-5 at Busch Stadium.

Nationals Daily Vibe Check

61°

▼14

Warm

a hot week

The foundation feels stable. A 5-2 run over 7 games keeps things pointed up. Add in +11 run differential. That margin shows up in the score.

Share your team's vibe check · smallballnews.com

Nationals Game on September 21

Opponent:	Detroit Tigers (73-83)
Location:	Comerica Park
First Pitch:	06:40 PM EDT
Pitching Matchup:	DJ Herz (TBD) vs River Ryan (TBD)
TV Broadcast:	Nationals.TV, Detroit SportsNet

Nationals Score & Recap

Yesterday, the Washington Nationals were outplayed by the St. Louis Cardinals 3-5 at Busch Stadium.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	7	1
	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	3		5	6	0

Highlights

CJ Abrams went 1-4 with 1 HR and 2 RBI.

Nationals Record & Standings

NL East

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Braves	92	64	.590		W3
Phillies	86	70	.551	6.0	W1
Marlins	76	80	.487	16.0	L3
Nationals	73	83	.468	19.0	L1
Mets	71	85	.455	21.0	L1

Washington Nationals are 5-2 in their last 7 games, with a +11 run differential.

Nationals Player Stats & Leaders

Batting Leaders

Player	HR	AVG	OPS	RBI
5 CJ Abrams	31	.261	.828	99
29 James Wood	30	.265	.903	76
4 Daylen Lile	22	.251	.743	88

Pitching Leaders

Pitcher	W-L	ERA	WHIP	IP
24 Cade Cavalli	13-5	3.02	1.16	169.2
54 Andrew Alvarez	2-6	3.17	1.26	108.0
76 Will Dion	1-2	3.74	1.16	45.2

Hot Hitters

Player	Streak
12 Brady House	3 hits, 1 RBI, .5 AVG in last 3 games
84 Jorbit Vivas	4 hits, 1 RBI, .444 AVG in last 3 games

Hot Pitchers

Pitcher	Streak
54 Andrew Alvarez	6.0 IP, 8 K, 0 ER in dominant recent start

Nationals News

The Washington Nationals are riding a wave of momentum after an 8-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, marking a strong 6-1 stretch over the last week. With a solid run differential of +14, the Nats are looking to sweep the Cardinals this afternoon, capitalizing on their recent turnaround since snapping a seven-game losing streak. As they engage in this clash, the excitement is palpable not just for the game but also for the future, especially after the team locked in Cade Cavalli with a four-year extension. Players like CJ Abrams and James Wood are in the spotlight as potential candidates for similar treatment, signaling a bright outlook amidst the final week of the season. Meanwhile, the activation of DJ Herz from the injured list adds depth to a pitching staff that is eager to build on this late-season resurgence.

Sources

Federal Baseball

Washington Nationals vs St. Louis Cardinals Game Thread

After a dramatic win last night, the Nats are in position to sweep the Cardinals this afternoon. The Nats have been playing good baseball since their 7 game losing streak. They will look to continue that today in St. Louis. With heavy bullpen usage this series, both teams will want length from their starters as […]

Federal Baseball

Nationals players who could soon be in line for Cade Cavalli-like extension

The recent news of the Nats extending breakout starter Cade Cavalli to a 4-year, $47 million extension is nothing but great news for Washington fans, and now many have their sights set on who the next extension candidate could be. James Wood and CJ Abrams remain the far-and-away most deserving players, but getting either star […]

Mlbtraderumors

Nationals To Activate DJ Herz From 60-Day IL On Monday

The Nationals announced that left-hander DJ Herz will be activated off the 60-day injured list to start Monday’s game against the Tigers. Left-hander Jared Simpson was optioned to Triple-A today to open up a spot on Washington’s active roster, and the Nats still need to create space for Herz on the 40-man roster. Herz will […]

MLB.com

Nats left hungry for more after strong series ends on sour note

ST. LOUIS -- Winning two out of three on the road is usually something to feel good about. The Nationals left Busch Stadium on Sunday feeling like they should have had more.

MLB.com

1 player to watch on each team during final week of season

There’s a lot on the line before the 2026 regular season wraps up on Sunday, including postseason seeding, statistical milestones and player development. And even for the players and teams who won’t be chasing a World Series title, finishing the season strong is always important. With the help of MLB.com’s

Yahoo Sports

Iván Herrera Clobbers 2 Homers as Cardinals Win Home Finale vs Nationals

If you’re a St. Louis Cardinals fan, you’re going to miss this no matter if you’re willing to admit it today or not. The final home game of the season wrapped up Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium and in a few weeks, many of us will long for the days when there was the potential […]

Nationals Upcoming Schedule

The Washington Nationals host the New York Mets for a 3-game series starting Friday.

About Small Ball

This Washington Nationals digest was built by Small Ball to save you from bouncing between five apps to follow your team. It's fan-run and made to deliver what matters each morning.

Got thoughts? Tell us. Want to support it? Ko-fi tips help keep it running.