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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 07: José Tena #6 of the Washington Nationals turns a double play on a ground ball hit by LuJames Groover #16 of the Arizona Diamondbacks as Geraldo Perdomo #2 is forced out at second base during the fourth inning at Chase Field on June 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals dominated the first two games in Arizona, but they were not able to truly chop the head off of the snakes. This lack of killer instinct has become a pattern for the Nats this season. In the last month, the Nats have had four chances to sweep a team, and have been unable to each time.
For the Nats to truly separate themselves from the .500 mark, they are going to have to sweep some series. Given the talent on the roster, I just don’t think that is very likely. When opposing teams desperately need a win and throw everything they have, it is usually enough to overcome the Nats. As more talent is added to the roster, hopefully that will change.
This phenomenon is mostly a talent issue in my opinion, but you also have to look at the mentality. It did not feel like the Nats were playing with the same sort of urgency in this one. They were giving away at bats more often than they usually do, and just looked lethargic in the field. That play where Jose Tena took too much time to turn a double play summed up the Nats afternoon. They were one step behind the Snakes all game.
The Nats were behind the 8 ball right from the jump. In the first two games, the Nats were the ones hitting homers in the first inning. However, it was Corbin Carroll doing the slugging today. Cavalli threw an 0-2 pitch that caught way too much of the plate, and the D-Backs star made him pay.
However, the Nats responded quickly via a CJ Abrams homer. He pounced on a pitch from former teammate Michael Soroka and sent it into the right field bullpen. Abrams has mastered the art of pulling the ball in the air. It is a big reason why he is hitting so many homers despite average raw power.
That would be all the offense on the day for the Nats though. They made a few good cuts, but it always seemed like a D-Backs defender was in the perfect spot. On the other side, it felt like every Diamondbacks bloop was falling. For the most part though, the Nats offense was being shut down by Soroka.
You have to give Soroka a lot of credit. This is not an easy lineup to tame, and that is exactly what he did. Soroka’s command was super sharp today, and that breaking ball had plenty of bite. Unlike last year, Soroka’s stuff stayed strong deep into his outing. If you know Soroka’s story, he is an easy guy to root for, so it is nice to see him having success.
For Cade Cavalli, I did not think he looked awful, but was not at his best. He was so close to getting out of his start with 2 runs through five innings, but threw a terrible pitch to Gabriel Moreno. That two run homer was the back breaker in this game.
After Cavalli exited, Riley Cornelio came in the game. Similar to his first big league outing, Cornelio did not look comfortable out there. He got out of a second and third nobody out jam in his first inning, but surrendered a run in his second frame. Cornelio’s command was all over the place and the confidence still did not look there.
This was a pretty lifeless game for the Nats, who only had three hits on the day. Next up is a trip to San Francisco where they matchup with an underperforming Giants team. Another series win would be a big step in the right direction.
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