Takeaways: Nationals Look to Stay Hot, Face Pirates, Paul Skenes

· Yahoo Sports

The Washington Nationals (7-8) are heading to Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (9-6) for a four game slate fresh off of a road sweep of the Brewers starting on Monday evening.

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After a poor start to the season, Washington has stormed back towards .500, driven by the resurgence of James Wood. The Pirates, meanwhile, are off to a hot start driven by their surprising power surge with the team averaging more than a home run per game. 

With an exciting series on deck, here are a few things to keep an eye on. 

An exciting pitching matchup to start the series 

Game one in Pittsburgh should be a fun one, with both teams’ respective aces taking the mound; Cade Cavalli will be on the bump for the Nats, with Paul Skenes getting the nod for the Pirates. 

Cavalli has been great to start the year, pitching to a 2.51 ERA despite having yet to record a win (0-0 on the season). Skenes had a rough outing in his first start of the season, and his ERA sits at an uncharacteristic 5.25.

If both pitchers are at their best, it could be a low-scoring affair Monday night. 

Washington’s road luck 

It’s a small sample size, but the Nationals have been much better on the road (6-3) than at home (1-5) to start the season. 

Some of that can likely be attributed to the strength of opponents faced, as three of those home losses came in a sweep at the hands of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The recent road sweep in Milwaukee also coincided with a sudden hot streak for James Wood, who is laying waste to concerns over his ability to return to last year’s first-half all star form.

Either way, Washington will surely look to keep their streak away from home rolling. 

Can the Nationals throw the brakes on Oneil Cruz? 

Oneil Cruz has been on an absolute heater to start the 2026 season, and the Nationals will have to slow him down if they want to take the series. 

Cruz comes into Monday’s action with an 11-game hitting streak going, sporting a .339 batting average and an OPS well north of 1.000. He also has 6 steals and 5 home runs, showcasing his elite tools. 

Cruz’ name should be circled on the lineup card all week; no matter who’s pitching, he’ll be a challenging out. 

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